' Type Lessons
/or
Primary Teachers
IN THB STUDY OF
Nature, Literature
and Art
Arranged by Seasons for the
First Four Grades by
ANNA E. McGOVERN, B. S.
Professor of Primary Methods
Iowa State Normal School
CHICAGO
A. FLANAGAN COMPANY
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Copyright t9Q5
ANNA K. MCGOVSILN
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AUTHOR'S PREFACE
In the preparation of this book it has been the aim to illus-
trate by concrete examples type lessons in Nature Study,
Literature, Language and Picture Study.
The aim of Nature Study is twofold : First, to cultivate the
higher nature of the child and lead him toward his Creator;
and, secondly, to develop his intellectual powers and lead him
to acquire a knowledge of his physical environment.
A careful consideration of this twofold purpose suggests
the desirability of correlating Nature Study with literature
and art.
In considering the tree, the flower, the bird, or whatever
it may be, poems and stories are included in the plan of study,
not for the purpose of giving instruction, but to supplement
the subject with literature, which will illumine and crystallize
the nature lesson and impress correct ideals of truth and
beauty.
The educational value of the classic story or poem and the
beautiful picture in which true art principles are exemplified,
in elevating taste and creating a high standard of the beautiful,
can scarcely be estimated.
Early familiarity with some of the masterpieces in art and
literature will enable the child "to translate forms of beauty
into thought and thought into words," and thus prove a never-
failing source of happiness. No more potent agents can be
found than the poets and the painters in revealing spiritual
beauty, vitalizing the commonplace and moulding the child's
thought and expression. The guiding principle in language is,
first, impression ; then, expression. Some one has said, "The
lovely things men build in the days of their strength are but
the reproduction of the lovely thoughts that were whispered
in their hearts in the days of tender youth."
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Mention is particularly made of the following publishers,
from whose publications many beautiful and appropriate
selections have been taken:
Houghton, Mi£Bin & Co., Bostcm.
D. Appleton & Co., New York.
The selections from Lowell, Emerson, Longfellow, Whit-
tier, Holmes, Thoreau, Burroughs, Stedman, Maurice Thomp-
son, Lucy Larcom, Celia Thaxter, Margaret Sangster, Edith
Thomas, and the Cary Sisters are used by permission of and
by special arrangement with Houghton, Mifflin & Co., pub-
lishers of their works.
The selections from Bryant's Poems are used by permission
of and by special arrangement with D. Appleton & Co., and
the other copyrighted material by permission of Rand,
McNally & Co., Silver, Burdette & Co., Milton Bradley &
Thomas Charles, Harper & Brothers, Ginn & Co., Donahoe
Magazine Co., Educational Publishing Co., National Edu-
cational Co., C. W. Barden, E. P. Button & Co., Maynard &
Merrill, A. C. McClurg & Co., Dana, Estes Co., Public School
Publishing Co., J. B. Lippincott Co., Little, Brown & Co.,
Chas. Scribner's Sons, Small, Maynard & Co., Lee & Shepard,
and A. Flanagan Co., to all of whom the author desires to
express grateful appreciation of their kindness and courtesy.
She also extends sincere thanks to the authors who so cor-
dially granted permission to use their stories and poems.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
AUTHOR'S PREFACB
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION
PAai
Quotahoitb fboh Lowell and W hiitibb 17
Quotations fbom Jaokman and Van Dtkk 18
Quotations fbom Chables Ham 19
The Book of Natube 20
Teaoheb'b Pbepabation 21
What Shall the Childben Study 22
SUMMABT OF AiMB 24
Colob in Natube. 24
Quotations from Wordsworth and Ruskin 25
The Rainbow 26
The Bluebell 27
Fob Discussion and Refboduotion
The Ldne of Golden Light 28
Study of Poem
The Water Bloom 30
The Rainbow 32
Relation of Natube Study to Litebatube 32
Extracts from Milton and Coleridge 33
Burroughs on Nature Study 34
A Child's Though of Ood 37
Poems in Naure 37
Song of Creation 38
The Glory of God in Creation 38
Nature's Miracles 39
The Forest Hymn 40
CHAPTER II
Faxx, Natube Study 44
PUBFOSE OF the WOBK 44
E3ach and AIL.... 44
LcBSONS ON Plants 45
Quotations from Bryant, Cowper and Wordsworth... 46
Quotations from Hodge and Emerson 46
The Forget-Me-Not 1.... 47
The Moss Rose 47
The Pansy 48
Fob Reading and Discussion
The Use of Flowers 48
Quotations from Wilson, Tennyson and Hemans 49
The Mobning-Globy 50
A Little Morning-Glory Seed 56
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IT TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAOB
Teems Used in Desobibino Flowebs 57
The Buttebflt 37
Quotation from Wordsworth 58
Quotation from Wordsworth 60
Quotation from Mrs. Sigourney 61
Quotation from Hamilton Gibson 61
A Little Poet 62
The Milkweed 62
A Uttle Plant 65
Milkweed Babies 66
The Wind Pbinoebs 66
Seven Times One 68
The Poppy 69
Poem fob Reading and Discussion
A Poppy Seed 69
Gentians 70
The Blue Gentian 71
Legend of the Gentian 71
Flowebs 72
Tbees
Forest Song 74
The American Elm 75
The Oak 77
The Last Dream of the Old Oak 79
The Grave in the Forest 83
The Oak 83
Tree Legends 83
Fall Leaves 85
Quotations from Thoreau and Gibson 85
Before the Leaves Fall 86
How the Leaves Came Down 87
October's Party 88
Terms Needed in Describing Leaves 89
October 90
The Painter 91
BntDS
Quotations from Birds and All Nature 92
Quotations from Wordsworth 92
Birds in Summer 94
Questions on Birds 95
Humming-Birds in the Amazon 96
Questions on Birds 96
Quotations from Ghilds and Bryant 97
Questions on Birds 98
Quotations from May Riley Smith 9S
Quotations from Birds and All Nature 99
Study of Pigeon 99
Fable 99
The Dove and the Woodpecker 101
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ▼
PAGI
B1BD8 — Continued.
The Little Doves 101
Birdlings Good-Night to the Flowers 102
Duck 103
Ode to a Waterfowl 103
Study op Poem
The Sandpiper 105
The Gbat Squirrel 106
The Squirrel 108
INDLA.N Corn 108
Feast of Mondamin 110
The Farmer and His Sons 110
Maize for the Nation's Emblem Ill
Thanksgiving Dat
The Landing of the Pilgrims 112
Thanksgiving Hymn 114
A Thanksgiving 114
November 116
November 117
November 117
CHAPTER III
Winter Nature Study 118
The Evergreens 118
The White Pine 118
Quotation from Wheelock 118
Balsam Fir 122
Hemlock ./, 123
Christmas Thoughts 123
Christmas 124
Christmas 124
A Christmas Tree.. 126
Correggio's Holy Night 127
Little Town of Bethlehem 128
The Strange Child's Christmas 129
Christmas Eve 130
For Reading and Discussion
The Christmas Bells 131
World A Christmas Tree 132
A Jewish Legend 133
Saint Christopher 133
Legend of Saint Christopher 134
Hiawatha 135
Hiawatha's School 136
Indian Cradle Song 138
The Cat 13S
The Cat and the Monkey 139
Kitten Playing with Leaves 140
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WATEB 141
Its Forms and Uses 141
Bvaporation 141
Dew 142
Clouds 142
The Cloud 143
Clouds 144
Frost 144
The Little Artist 145
From Vision of Sir Launfal 145
Ice 146
Snow-Flakes 147
A Snow Song 148
Snow 149
Rain 150
Work of Streams 151
Springs 152
The Brook 152
A Song of the Sea 154
A River— By Van Dyke 154
Apostrophe to the Ocean 154
The Sun 155
Sunbeam 156
The Ferry for Shadowtown 156
The Sun's Travels 156
The Sun 157
The Moon 158
The Silver Boat 158
The New Moon 159
The Stabs 159
Stars ICO
A Legend of the Great Dipper 160
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod 163
BiBDg
Birds of Killingworth 164
Chickadee 165
Outline for Bird Study 166
An Eastern Legend 166
The Blue Jay 167
The Sparrows 168
Birds 170
WiNTEB AND SpBING 171
Almost Time 172
CHAPTER IV
Sfbing Natube Study
Quotations from Cowper and Browning 178
Quotations from Bnrant, Hemans and Donahoe 174
Quotations from Hemans . . . ; 175
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Qkbminatiok 176
A Laughing Chorus 176
Waiting to Grow 177
The Little Brown Seed in the Furrow 177
Awakening Life in Seeds 178
Sweet Pea 180
The Pea Blossom 181
Soil 184
Pebbles and Quartz 185
Feldspar 186
Eabthwobics 186
Quotation from Cowper 188
The Pussy Willow 188
Tebhs Used nr DESCBmrno Bxtds 191
Easteb Deaweth Neae 192
Eastee Time 192
Our Pasque Flower 192
Easter 194
The Lily of the Resurrection 194
Easter 196
Nature's Easter Music 197
Quotations from Wordsworth, Emerson and Browning. 199
The Star That Became a Lily 199
Floweb-de-Lucb 201
The Rainbow Queen 202
Iris 202
Flower-de-Luce 203
Birds
Sweet Warblers .* 204
The Empty Nest... 205
The Humming-Bird 206
The Bluebird 207
In April 208
The Bluebird 209
Birdies in the Greenwood 209
Song Sparrow 210
Birds Cannot Count 210
Robin 212
The Building of the Nest 213
Robin's Return 214
We Are Red Birds 215
Cradle Song 216
Bird Game 216
Snails 218
Quotation from Tennyson 220'
Quotation from Wordsworth 220
The Chambered Naxttilus.. 22t
The Frog 222
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The Wind 226
The Wind 225
Sweet and Low 226
Orpheus a Myth of the South Wind 227
Sfbing Flowers ' 229
Anemone 229
The Bloodroot 230
The Blue Violet 230
Quotation from Gibson 231
Chorus of the Flowers 231
Jack-in-the-Pulpit 232
Jack-in-the-Pulpit 233
The Rose 235
And You Sweet Rose 237
Fern 238
The Grasses 239
Song of Grass Blades 239
The Dandelion 241
To the Dandelion 245
Legend of the Chnrsanthemum or Christ Flowers 246
The Apple Tbbe 247
Talking in Their Sleep 248
An April Welcome 249
Come Let U« Plant the Apple Tree 250
O Painter of the Fruits and Flowers 252
Apple-Seed John 253
Tree Planting 254
The Apple 255
Honey Bees 256
King Solomon and the Bees 259
Bees 259
Rabbits 260
The Wild Rabbits 265
The Hare and The Tortoise 265
Fishes 265
The Sheep and the Cow 267
Sleep, Baby, Sleep 268
CHAPTER V
Language Thorough Literatube 269
Stobies and Poems 269
Quotations from FroebeL Arnold and Hinsdale 269
Quotation from Whittier 270
A Cradle Song 270
Idyls of the King 271
Extract from The Coming of Arthur 271
Extract from Guinevere 271
Extract from The Holy Grail 272
Extract from The Holy Grail 273
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PAOS
Stobies and Poems — Continued.
From Sir Oalahad and The Holy Grail 274
Knighthood 276
Break, Break, Break 277
A Farewell 278
Bugle Song 278
Extract from The Vision of Sir Launfal 279
How Little Cedric Became a Knight 281
Abou Ben Adhem 287
The Builders 288
The Ladder of Saint Augustine 290
The Heritage 291
A Child's Dream of a Star 293
The Daffodils 296
The Solitary Reaper 297
Study of Poem 298
Drifting 298
Christ and the Little Ones 801
Study of Poem 303
To a Skylark 303
The Skylark 304
The Return of Columbus 305
Columbus 308
Study of Poem 309
The Legend Beautiful 309
The Pied Piper of Hamelin 312
Our Flag 318
The American Flag 318
Story of the Star Spangled Banner 319
The Star Spangled Banner 319
Salute To Our Flag 320
The Blue and the Gray 321
Battle Hymn of the Republic 322
CHAPTER VI
PiOTDBE Study • • 324
Quotation from Anna Bracket 325
Pictures for the First Four Grades
Grade I 326
Grade II 326
Grade III 327
Grade IV 327
World Pictures 328
Study The Sower 329
Study The Angelus 330
The Angelus, by Lord Houghton 330
The Angelus, by Mrs. Burke 331
Quotations from Wm. F. Harris and B. C. Hewett 332
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INDEX
STORIES AND POEMS
PAcn
Abou Ben Adhem— -Leigh Hunt 287
Almost Time 172
American Flag, The — Drake 818
And You Sweet Rose — ^Lockhart 237
Angelus, The — ^Lord Houghton 330
Apple-Seed John— Child 253
Apple Tree, The 247
April Welcome, An— Phoebe Gary 249
Apostrophe to the Ocean— Byron 154
Autumn Leaves 90
Aspen Tree, The. 84
An Eastern Legend 166
Barefoot Boy— Whlttler 17
Beautiful Bells of the World 331
Bees 259
Birds— Edwin Arnold 207
Birds Cannot Count — ^Popular Educator 210
Birdies In the Greenwood (Song) 209
Blrdllng's Good-Night to the Flowers— (Song) 102
Bird Game — Beebe 216
Birds in Summer — ^Howitt 94
Birds of Killingworth— Longfellow 164
Bloodroot, The 230
Bluebird, The— Hopkins 209
Blue and the Gray, The— Finch 321
Bluebell, The 27
Bluebird, The— Ebon Rexford 207
Blue Jay, The — Sweet (Dana Estes and Co.) 167
Blue Gtentian, The 71
Blue Violet, The— Cary 230
Book of Nature, The — Phoebe Cary 20
Before the Leaves Fall — Sangster 86
Break, Break, Break — ^Tennyson 277
Bring Flowers — ^Hemans 49
Brook, The — ^Tennyson 152
Bugle Song 278
Building of the Nest— Sangster 213
Butterfly, The — Sigoumey 61
Butterfly, The— Wordsworth 58
Battle Hymn of the Republic, The— Julia Ward Howe 322
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INDEX
Builders, The 28S
Cat and the Monkey, The 189
Chambered Nautilus, The 221
Children, The 832
Chickadee 166
Child's Thought of God, A— Browning 87
Christmas — Proctor 124
Christmas— Amedeus 124
Christmas Tree, A — ^Dickens 126
Christmas Eve 180
Christmas Bells, The 181
Child's Dream of a Star, A— Dickens 293
Christopher, Saint — ^Jackson 134
Chorus of the Flowers— Wheelock 231
Cloud, The— Shelley 143
Clouds 144
Columbus— Miller 808
Come Let Us Plant the Apple Tree— -Bryant 250
Cradle Song, A— Father Tabb 270
Cradle Song, A— Tennyson 216
Christ and the Little Ones— Gill 801
Correggio's Holy Night 127
Daffodils, The— Wordsworth 296
Dandelion, The, To— -Lowell 245
Dandelion, The 241
DoTe and the Woodpecker, The 101
Drifting— Read 298
Each and All — ^Emerson 44
Easter — Jordan 194
Easter — Gaynor 196
Eastern Legend, An — Goodwin 166
Empty Nest, The— Miller.. 205
Extract from Gibson 61
Extract from Milton 88
Extract from Wordsworth 32
Extract from the Vision of Sir Launfai 145
Extract from the Vision of Sir Launfal 279
Fable 99
Farewell, A— Tennyson 278
Farmer and His Son, The 110
Feast of Mondamin, The 110
Ferns 288
Ferry for Shadowtown, The 156
Fishes 265
Flaxseed, The— Hopkins 183
Flowers— Longfellow 72
Flower-de-Luce — ^Longfellow 203
Forest Hymn, A— Bryant 40
Forest Song— Venables 74
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Forest Song— Allen '. 74
Forget-Me-Not 47
Frog, The 222
Glory of God in Creation, The 38
Grasses, The 239
Grave in the Forest, The S3
Hare and the Tortoise, The 265
Hiawatha's School— Longfellow 136
Honey Bees 256
How the Leaves Came Down— Coolidge 87
How Little Cedric Became a Knight— Harrison 281
Holy Night 127
Humming-Bird, The 206
Humming-Birds in the Amazon 96
Heritage, The— Lowell 291
I Listen to the Voice of God — (Donahoe's Magazine) 174
In April— Rexford 208
Indian Cradle Song 138
Iris 202
Idyls of the King— Tennyson 271
Jack-in-the-Pulpit— Browning 232
Jack-in-the-Pulpit— Whittier's Child Life 233
Jewish Legend, A — Phelps 133
King Soiomon and the Bees. 259
Kitten Playing with Leaves 140
Knighthood 276
Landing of the Pilgrims 112
Last Dream of the Old Oak, The 79
Laughing Chorus, The 176
Legend of the Gentian 71
Legend of the Great Dipper 160
Legend of the Chrysanthemums or Christ Flowers 246
Legend of Saint Christopher 184
Lily of the Resurrection, The 194
Line of Golden Light, The 28
Little ArUst, The 146
Little Brown Seed In the Furrow, The 177
Little Doves, The 101
Little Morning-Glory Seed* A 55
Little Town of Bethlehem— Philips Brooks (E. P. Dutton) 128
Little Bird 97
Little Plant, A 65
Ladder of Saint Augustine, The 290
Little Poet. A 62
Legend Beautiful, The 809
Maize for the Nation's Emblem — ^Thaxter Ill
Milkweed Babies , 66
Milkweed Case ' 68
Moming-GIory, The 58
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INDEX
PAOl
Moss Rose, The 47
Mother Truth's Melodies 78
Nature's Easter Music — ^Larcom 197
Nature's Miracles — Cowper i 39
New Moon, The — Follen 169
November — ^Alice Gary 116
November — ^Jackson 117
November — Gary 117
Oak, The 83
October — ^Jackson 90
October's Party 88
Ode To A Waterfowl— Bryant 103
Orpheus, A Myth of the South Wind— Judd (Rand, McNally) 227
Our Pasque Flower — ^Arnold 192
Painter of the Fruits and Flowers 252
Pansy, The 48
Painter, The 91
Pea Blossom, The — ^Anderson 181
Poplar Tree, The 84
Poppy Seed, A— Thaxter 69
Primrose of the Rock, The — ^Wordsworth 46
Pussy Willow ., . ., 189
Poems in Nature — ^Thompson, Maurice 37
Pied Piper of Hamelln, The— Browning 312
Rabbits 260
Rainbow, The— O'Hagan 26
Rainbow, The— CJooley 26
Rainbow, The 32
Rainbow Queen, The 202
Robin's Return — ^Thomas 214
Return of Columbus, The — Irving 305
Rose, The 235
Sandpiper, The — Celia Thaxter 105
Seven Times One — Ingelow 68
Sheep and the Cow, The 267
Snail, The— Cowper 188
Snail, The— Lamb 213
Snail, The— Tennyson 220
Snails, Pond— Wordsworth 220
Snowflakes — ^Jarvls 147
Snow Song, A-— Cooper 148
Song of Creation — Addison * 38
Song of the Sea — Cornwall 151
Song of the Grass Blades 239
Skylark, To A— Shelley 303
Skylark, The— Hogg 304
Sparrows, The— Thaxter 168
Spring Has Come— Holmes 77
Squirrel, The— Howltt 108
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IKDBX
PACa
Strange Child's ChriBtmas ■« 12S
Sun, The — ^Emerson 155
Sunbeam, The— Hemans 166
Sun's Farewell, The — Steyenson 156
Sweet Warblers 204
Sweet and Low — ^Tennyson 226
Sleep, Baby, Sleep 268
Stars; The — Cornwall 159
Solitary Reaper, The 297
Star Spangled Banner,. The — ^Key , 319
Story of the Star Spangled Banner 819
Salute To Our Flag 320
Sower, The 829
Talking in Their Sleep — ^Thomas 248
Thanksgiving, A — ^Larcom 114
Thanksgiving Day-— Child 112
Thanksgiving Hymn — ^Montgomery 114
Three Kings, The— F. W. Faber 125
Tree Legends \ 88
Tree Planting 254
Under the Willows— Lowell 238
Use of Flowers, The— Hewett 48
Voice of Spring, The — ^Hemans 174
Waiting to Grow 177
Water-Bloom, The— Celia Thaxter. 30
We are^ Red Birds— (Song) 215
Wild Rabbits 266
Wind, The — Stevenson ^ 225
Wind Anemone, The— O'Sheridan 229
Wind Princess, The— Bixby 66
Winter and Spring— Brooks 171
Wynken, Blynken and Nod— Field 163
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Summer Pleasures — By Plockhurst
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NATURE STUDY AND LITERATURE
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION
Nature is one of the child's first teachers.
"Hand in hand with her he walks.
Face ta face with her he talks,
Part and parcel of her joy/'
He says with Lowell:
"For the whole year long, I see
All the wonders of faithful nature
Still worked for the love of me."
When he enters school he is
• • • rich in flowers and trees.
Humming-birds and honey-bees."
He knows,
"How the robin feeds her young.
How the oriole's nest is hung,
Where the whitest lilies blow.
Where the freshest berries grow.
Where the ground-nut trails its vine.
Where the wood-grapes clusters shine;
Of the black wasp's cunning way,
Mason of his walls of clay,
And the architectural plans
Of gray hornet artisans."
'^Whittier's "Barefoot Boy*'
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18 NATURE STUDY
Nature is a skillful teacher and her books contain wonderful
pictures. Memories of the happy days spent wandering in
the woods and fields, discovering the secrets of birds and bees,
cannot fail to stimulate a strong desire in the child's heart to
broaden his horizon and increase his knowledge.
Jackman writes : "The child comes to the teacher with his
eyes filled with a thousand pictures, but these are ignored and
he is robbed of them one by one, until the beauty of this world
fades from his sight, and it is changed to a vale of tears."
Childhood is, certainly, the most fruitful period for the cul-
ture of the emotions, the period best adapted to build up the
positive side of character, and no one should question the desir-
ability of fostering a love for those things which will tend to
elevate, refine, and ennoble the child's higher life and bring
him into harmony with the Designer and Author of nature,
before he becomes absorbed in unworthy pursuits.
There was a Country Qiib on Storm King Mountain above the Hud-
son river, where they used to celebrate a festival of flowers every spring.
Some of the seekers may have had a few gray hairs; but for that day
at least they were all boys and girls. Nature was as young as ever and
they were all her children. * * The hidden blossoms of friendship
unfolded; laughter and merry shouts and sketches of half forgotten
songs rose to the lips; school was out and nobody listened for the bell.
From Fisherman's Luck, Copyright, Chas, Scribner's Sons. — Henry Van
Dyke.
Nature has furnished inspiration for many of the most illus-
trious writers and painters of the world and the sympathetic
insight which enabled them to reveal the beauty and the
grandeur of God's handiwork, could be acquired only by the
most loving investigation.
Wordsworth, Bryant, Lowell and a host of other nature-
lovers who held "communion with her visible forms,** suggest
many messages beautifully adapted to the culture of the
imagination and the child should be led to realize that he is
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 19
but "thinking God's thoughts after Him" when he discovers
the beauty or the utility of one of nature's treasures, whether
it be a giant oak decked in royal splendor or a lovely butter-
fly flitting from flower to flower. Contact with nature supple-
mented by art in the form of choice literature and beautiful
pictures cannot fail to minister to the child's spiritual life and
thus prove invaluable in the formation of good character.
In genuine nature study, personal investigation is an essen-
tial element and from every point of view must be recognized
as the most effective means of stimulating thought. The es-
tablishing of a truly sympathetic appreciation of nature will
prove most valuable to the child in furnishing a sure founda-
tion for future acquirements in scientific knowledge. Through
nature study properly presented, the power of expression has
wonderful opportunity for development; the child's eyes are
opened to see something of the wonders and beauties around
him, his sympathies are enlarged and he is enabled to appre-
ciate better the literature inspired by nature.
The sketching, modeling and painting of natural forms
sharpens the power of observation, and oral and written ex-
pression follows as a natural result. Nature study gives the
child something definite to discover, something interesting to
draw, paint, and describe, and this concrete instruction, this
habit of exact and truthful expression, based on observation,
will furnish a basis for correct reasoning and thus serve as a
means of developing power and self-reliance.
"The value of drawing as an educational agency is simply
incalculable. It is the first step in manual training. It brings
the eye and the mind into relations of the closest intimacy,
and makes the hand the organ of both. It trains and develops
the sense of form and proportion, renders the eye accurate
in observation and the hand cunning in execution." — From
Mind and Hand, by Chas. H. Ham,
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20 NATURE STUDY
The value of the work, however, should not be measured by
the acquisition of knowledge or the power to express it, but
rather by the love and the sympathetic interest awakened in
nature and the profound reverence for the design and the pro-
tecting care revealed in the works of earth and sky by an all-
wise Creator.
If this is not the leading purpose in nature work, the child
has been deprived of the most beautiful and important lesson
nature is capable of teaching.
THE BOOK OF NATURE
We scarce could doubt our Father's power,
Though His greatness were untold
In the sacred record made for us
By the prophet-bards of old.
We must have felt His watchfulness
About us everywhere;
Though we had not learned, in the Holy Word,
How He keeps us in His care.
I almost think we should know His love.
And dream of His pardoning grace,
If we never had read how the Savior came,
To die for a sinful race.
For the sweetest parables of truth
In our daily pathway lie.
And we read, without interpreter.
The writing on the sky.
The ravens, fed when they clamor, teach
The human heart to trust;
And the rain of goodness speaks, as it falli
On the unjust and the just.
The sunshine drops, like a leaf of gold.
From the book of light above;
And the lily's missal is written full
Of the words of a Father's love.
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION «1
So, when we turn from the sacred pag<e
Where the holy record lies.
And its gracious plans and promises
Are hidden from our eyes;
One open volume still is ours.
To read and understand;
And its living characters are writ
By our Father's loving hand!
— Pbobbb Gary.
TEACHER'S PREPARATION
It is undoubtedly true that lack of preparation on the teach-
er's part is the most serious drawback in the nature study
problem. Many teachers have given the subject no special
attention and the ordinary text books in natural science are
not well adapted to give the preparation demanded for prac-
tical work.
The teacher who hopes to guide her pupils wisely will find
it advisable to go directly to nature for inspiration; she must
learn to know and to love the birds, the flowers, and the
trees, if she hopes to lead her pupils to know and to love them ;
she must leam to observe in order to direct and test the ob-
servation of her pupils. After having studied, sketched, and
written descriptions of a few typical plants and animals and
verified the descriptions by reference to good text books, a
teacher will begin to realize something of the enjoyment in
store for her pupils.
The writings of Wordsworth, Burroughs, Bryant, Gibson,
Van Dyke, Thompson, Seton, and other nature lovers will
give the inspiration and enthusiasm needed to guide teachers
and pupils in discovering the beauty and the utility of com-
mon things.
The Creator has provided an abundance of choice material
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M NATURE STUDY
which is accessible in every locality, and the teacher who
comprehends the wonderful possibilities of nature study in
influencing the child's character will certainly be able to
strike many points in the circumference of the great circle of
science which will prove profitable and fascinating to herself
as well as to her pupils.
It is, perhaps, not possible for the majority of teachers to do
the best work in nature study without training, but the teacher
who is a true student of nature and nature writers, and who
thoroughly appreciates the highest aims of nature study, will
undoubtedly do creditable work.
WHAT SUBJECTS SHALL THE CHILDREN STUDY?
The Book of Nature is so wonderful and contains so many
fascinating pages, that the selection of the most desirable
material requires careful consideration. The first decision to
be made by the teacher is, what subjects in this delightful
"story book" appeal most forcibly to the child's expanding
powers and what subjects appeal most forcibly to herself?
Interest is indispensable and must keep ahead of knowledge
in the work with beginners ; genuine, sympathetic interest will
stimulate children to investigate for themselves and to dis-
cover answers to many of the searching questions asked by
nature.
In the first three or four grades, at least, the material should
be chosen with special reference to the culture of the child's
higher life. Perhaps nothing in nature has power to delight
children and concentrate their thought so quickly as the habits
and activities of animals — birds as they fly and sing, fishes
as they swim and breathe never fail to interest them. Flowers
and plants, however, have some advantage over animals — ^all
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 23
stages of development can be studied at the same time, and
they are, as a rule, more easily obtained and more easily
cared for. The awakening seeds and unfolding flowers are
very, attractive to children and they are also beautifully
adapted to cultivate a sympathetic interest in nature.
In addition to the study of animals and plants, water, air,
and sunlight— elements whose effects upon life can be ob-
served daily, should receive special attention.
The teacher who has clear ideas concerning the value of
the concrete phases of nature study, who regards a type as a
center around which the important related material should be
grouped, will not only study wholes in preference to frag-
ments, but the whole in relation to its environment. The
season of the year and its immediate surroundings must be
taken into account in determining the choice of material, and
teachers often find it necessary to educate public sentiment
in favor of certain lines of work which they know to be most
valuable as a means of developing the child's intellect and
forming right habits.
Nature study is new in a great many schools and will un-
doubtedly meet with opposition and criticism on the part of
many parents and others interested in education, for years to
come.
In farming communities, lessons on the farm products —
com, vegetables or fruits, would generally be considered more
profitable than lessons on flowers.
In a manufacturing town, lessons on flour, paper, cotton,
flax — ^the material manufactured, whatever it may be — ^would
meet with approval on the part of many who would not appre-
ciate the benefits to be derived from a study of birds or insects.
The tactful teacher who understands that this is the natural
method of acquiring knowledge and comprehends the purpose
of the work, fully realizes that she must not ignore so power-
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84 NATURE STUDY
ful a means of attaining success as the co-operation of her
patrons, and will not fail to consider carefully, in the beginning
work at least, the subjects which will be most likely to meet
with favor in her locality.
A living interest on the teacher's part will soon induce en-
thusiasm in the pupils, and when parents realize that the
children are interested and are doing better work in geog-
raphy, language, and other subjects, because of their interest,
the teacher will be permitted to exercise her judgment in the
selection of material without having her motives questioned,
even though she might dare to claim a share of attention for
subjects especially adapted to cultivate the higher aims of
nature study.
Continue nature study, then, after the child enters school.
Select types which can be studied in their own natural environ-
ment, and make every aim subordinate to the controlling mo-
tive in education — character growth.
SUMMARY OF AIMS
To develop the child's higher nature, spiritual, aesthetic,
and ethical.
To increase his happiness by making him better acquainted
with his physical environment.
To prepare him to appreciate the literature that nature has
inspired.
To develop a sympathetic interest in living things.
To develop the intellectual powers.
To lead the child to love nature and the Author of nature.
COLOR IN NATURE
Color has great attraction for children and should play an
important part in the nature work. Little children respond
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 26
to teauty as readily as they do to kindness, and the golden
glory of autumn appeals to them in a special manner.
The trees are beautiful and wonderful at any and all seasons
of the year, but in autumn their gorgeous colors cannot fail
to open the eyes of the least observant to the loveliness of
the season. Wordsworth uxhe^ridi.too««chwiu.«;i.uand.o<».
says I Getting and spending, we lay waste onr powcts;
The teacher who is in ^t^^ we see in nature that is «««,"
perfect accord with the harmony of color and form displayed
so lavishly in the bright flowers, ripened leaves and fruits
will find ways and means of imbuing the child's spirit with
the influence exerted by this season, so rich in choice color
material.
A series of lessons on color will prove exceedingly valuable
in enabling children to recognize and appreciate the harmony
and gradation of the different colors ranging from the somber
tones of gjays and browns in the trunks of trees to the bril-
liant hues seen in the sumach and maple leaves.
Some day, at the beginning of the term, when the school-
room is flooded with light, hang prisms in a sunny window and
let the children enjoy the beautiful bars of color thrown in
the room.
Ruskin says:
"Nature has a thousand ways and means of rising above herself^ but
incomparably the noblest manifestations of her capability of color are
in the sunsets among the high clouds.
"The whole sky, from the zenith to the horizon, becomes one molten,
mantling sea of color and fire; every black bar turns into massy gold,
every ripple and wave into unsullied, shadowless crimson, and purple,
and scarlet, and colors for which there are no words in language and
no ideas in the mind."
The spectrum colors are found everywhere in earth and
sky, and children delight in painting and grouping them. The
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NATURE STUDY
elms, golden-rod, dandelion and many other trees and flowers
give the tones of yellow, and the maples many hues of red,
orange and green. The oaks give purple, reddish brown and
a variety of deep rich broken colors.
A spectrum and scales of color, should be made on gray
mounting board for the purpose of developing color percep-
tion. A mixture of water color paints can be used to advan-
tage in showing tints, shades and intermediate colors, and the
color tablets in matching colors in the spectrum and scales of
colors.
Direct attention to color in nature and in decorations.
Encourage children to invent pleasing combinations.
Lay scales of colors — ^violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and
red, using two tints and two shades of each.
Let the children blow soap-bubbles, find spectrum colors in
fruits and flowers, and make a collection of grasses, ripened
leaves, and seed pods.
Decorate the school-room with flags, leaves, flowers and
pictures of birds, for an October Color Day.
The enjoyment of outdoor life will be greatly increased
when the children are capable of discovering and appreciating
harmonious combinations.
Color songs, poems and games should be emphasized.
THE RAINBOW
** The sun went out to shine one day.
Said he, "I'll drive the rain away ; '*
The raindrops laughed to see him try
To drive them back into the sky.
Hach raindrop caught a sunbeam
And split it into rays of light,—
Red, yellow, blue, three rays in one,
And made a rainbow iust for fun. "
THE RAINBOW
Eternal seal of peace from God,
With heavenly colors bright,
Spanning this earth with rays of love
Wrought in divinest light;
Arch of the hours, the days, the years,
Since our new faith began.
Symbol of Faith, Hope, and l/fyr^
A threefold gift to man.
—Thomas CBaoait.
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 87
THE BLUEBELL
There is a story I have heard—
A poet learned it from a bird.
And kept its music, every word.
A story of a dim ravine,
O'er which the towering tr'ee tops lean.
With one blue rift of sky between;
And there two thousand years ago,
A little flower, as white as snow.
Swayed in the silence to and fro.
Day after day, with longing eye.
The flower watched the narrow sky.
And fleecy clouds that floated by.
And through the darkness, night by night.
One gleaming star would climb the height
And cheer the lonely floweret's sight
Thus watching the blue heavens afar,
And the rising of its favorite star,
A slow change came, — ^but not to mar;
For softly o'er its petals white,
There crept a blueness, like the light
Of skies upon a summer night;
And in its chalice, I-am told
The bonny bell was formed to hold,
A tiny star that gleamed like gold.
Now, little people, sweet and true,
I find a lesson here for you.
Writ in the floweret's bell of blue.
The patient child whose watchful eye
Strives after all things pure and high.
Shall take their image by and by.
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FOR DISCUSSION AND REPRODUCTION
THE LINE OF GOLDEN LIGHT
Once upon a time there lived a child whose name was Avilla. She
was sweet and loving and fair to look upon. Her little sister^ whom
she dearly loved^ could not see -God's beautiful world, nor enjoy His
bright sunshine. Avilla heard of a wise old woman who lived in a
cave many miles away. People said this woman knew a secret, by
means of which the blind could receive their sight, so Avilla went to
the cave. The happy thoughts in her heart made the time pass quickly
and the soft, cool breeze seemed to be whispering a song to her all
the way.
When she reached the dark cave the thought of her little blind sister
gave her courage to enter it.
In a dark corner sat the queer old woman on a stone chair, spin-
ning flax into fine thread.
Avilla said, **1 have a little blind sister, can you tell me how to open
her eyes?" "Yes," said the wise old woman, "I can tell you, but you
will not do it. People who can see, trouble themselves very little about
those who are blind!" "I will do anything to help my dear sister,"
said Avilla. "Oh, please tell me." The old woman looked earnestly
at her and then stooped down and picked up a very long thread. She
handed it to Avilla, saying: "Take this, carry it all around the world,
and when you return, come to me and I will show you, how your blind
sister may be cured." Avilla thanked her and started on her journey,
trailing the long thread after her. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Her heart was full of
joy as she thought of her little sister. She looked back to be sure
the thread had not broken. Imagine her surprise to see that instead
of a gray thread of spun flax it was a thread of golden light that glit-
tered and shone in the sunlight. She reached the forest. Her heart
almost stopped beating. "I can never go through that gloomy forest,"
she said. A soft breeze seemed to whisper "Look at the thread,
look at the golden thread." She looked back and, strange to say,
each tiny blade of grass, which the thread had touched, had blossomed
into a flower. "How beautiful I" she exclaimed, as she looked at the
flowery path.
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 29
She hurried forward into the dark woods and after a tiresome jour-
ney she reached the glad sunshine again. A new difficulty faced her.
As far as she could see stretched a low, swampy marsh. The thought
of her little sister encouraged her and she bravely plunged on through
the mire with the golden thread trailing after her.
She looked back and wherever the mysterious and beautiful thread
had touched the earth, the water and mud had dried up. She said to
herself, ''this will help others to cross/' and the thought made her sing
for joy.
After a time her singing ceased. She reached a dreary desert She
toiled on, cheered by a swarm of yellow butterflies that fluttered just
ahead of her. At last, the end of the desert was reached, just as the
sun disappeared behind a crimson cloud. What did Avilla see when
she looked at the golden thread, which had trailed behind her all day
on the hot sand? Tall shade trees had sprung up along the path, and
each grain of sand that the thread had touched was now changed into
a diamond, or ruby, or emerald, or some other precious stone. It was
a lovely sight to behold, the beautiful trees and the sparkling gems.
Avilla thought she heard the birds singing their evening songs. One
by one the bright stars came out in the quiet sky as if to keep guard
while she slept.
The next morning she started again on her long journey round the
world. After a time she reached a great mountain. It seemed to say,
"How dare you attempt to climb to my summit?" Just then two strong
eagles with outspread wings rose from their nests on the side of a
steep cliff near by and soared majestically and slowly aloft. "Be brave
and strong and you shall meet us at the mountain top," they seemed
to say. She climbed op, keeping the soaring eagles always in sight.
As she neared the top she looked back and saw that the sharp, broken
rocks had changed into broad and beautiful white marble steps. She
rejoiced to see the beautiful pathway she had made for others.
Avilla reached the cave, ran forward to the wise old woman and
cried out: "I have done all you told me to do! will my little sister
see?" The woman seized the golden thread and exclaimed, "At last!
at last] I am freed!" In an instant she resembled a beautiful princess,
with long golden hair and tender blue eyes, her face radiant with joy,
and this is the story she told Avilla: "I was a king's daughter, but
I was so selfish and idle that I never thought of the happiness of
others. I was compelled to live in this cave, until I could find some one
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30 NATURE STUDY
who would be generous and brave enough to take the long dangerous
journey around the world for the sake of others. I have looked and
looked a long time. Now I can be happy again. Your line of lights
love — has brought joy and happiness to my life and now we will go
to your little blind sister and open her eyes. Emphasize "I«ove/* the
Light of the World." Abridged, Told by ElUabeth Harrison in Story Loud.
STUDY OF POEM
THE WATER-BLOOM
A child looked up in the summer sky
Where a soft, bright shower had just passed by;
Eastward the dusk rain-curtain hung,
And swiftly across it the rainbow sprung.
"Papa! Papa! what is it?" she cried.
As she gazed, with her blue eyes opened wide.
At the wonderful arch that bridged the heaven.
Vividly glowing with colors seven.
"Why. that is the rainbow, darling child;"
And the father down on his baby smiled.
"What makes it, papa?" "The sun, my dear.
That shines on the water-drops so clear."
Here was a beautiful mystery!
No more questions to ask had she.
But she thought the garden's loveliest flowers
Had floated upward and caught in the showers.
Rose, violet, orange, marigold —
In a ribbon of light on the clouds unrolled!
Red of poppy, and green leaves, too,
Sunflower yellow, and larkspur blue.
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 81
A great, wide, wondrous, splendid wreath
It seemed to the little girl beneath;
How did it grow so fast up there.
And suddenly blossom, high in the air?
She could not take her eyes from the sight;
"Oh, look!" she cried in her deep delight,
As she watched the glory spanning the gloom,
"Oh, look at the beautiful water-bloom!"
— Celia Thaxtex.
Preparation.— 'Hang a prism in the sunlight and make a
"prism rainbow/*
Review "The Rainbow."
Children tell what the sun said. Tell what the raindrops
did.
Tell story of a water-drop.
What do we call the water-drops that fall from the clouds?
Presentation. — ^Teacher, read and re-read "The Water-
Bloom."
Children image, and describe pictures suggested by the
poem.
Help children to see the child, the man, the sky, and the
wonderful arch. Request children to watch the sky from
day to day and when a "dusk rain-curtain" appears, observe
it very carefully. — How was it formed? What will become
of it ? Then what may we see ? Do you see the expression on
the child's face? Find the rainbow colors in flowers. Re-
peat the conversation between child and father. What change
came over the child after her father answered her question?
Tell what she thought about the rainbow. Recall the little
Hiawatha's question. What did Nokomis answer? Children
repeat, " 'Tis the heaven of flowers you see there," etc. What
is meant by beautiful mystery? Can you suggest other mys-
teries? Repeat Tennyson's lines for children, "Flower in the
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82 NATURE STUDY
crannied wall," etc. Do you think the little girl's father was
glad to see the rainbow?
No doubt he thought of what a great man named Words-
worth, said —
Do you wonder at the ckiUfs sur- ^^JJirr^Cirr*..
prise and delight? so wash when I was a child.
How many colors in the rainbow? I^J^lIiruTe'whenT^oid.'.
How are they, arranged? What
flowers would give the red? the blue? the yellow?
Let children make a flower rainbow and memorize the poem.
RELATION OF NATURE STUDY TO LITERATURE
Literature should be regarded as an important contributor
to the study of nature. The permanent, inspiring truth, the
creative fancy, and the forcible expression of classic literature,
have power to impress the child with true ideals of beauty and
to cultivate a love for choice literature that will influence his
future life.
Burroughs says, "Unless science is mixed with emotion and
appeals to the heart and imagination, it is like dead, inorganic
matter; and when it is so mixed and transformed, it is liter-
ature." This power to beautify and transform the most com-
monplace objects and cause the susceptible nature of the child
to respond to this inspiring influence, is possessed by literary
artists.
Messages fraught with untold beauty are written in large
type on every page of nature's book, for him whose soul is
capable of interpreting their meaning. Here are instances:
These are thy glorious works. Parent of good,
Almighty I Thine this universal frame^
Thus wondrous fair! Thyself how wondrous then,
Unspeakable! who sittest above these heavens.
To us invisible, or dimly seen
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 33
In these thy lowest works; yet these declare
Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine.
Speak^ ye who best can tell, ye sons of light.
Angels; for ye behold Him, and with songs
And choral symphonies, day without night.
Circle His throne rejoicing; ye in heaven.
On earth join, all ye creatures, to extol
Him first, Him last, Him midst^ and without end.
— MiLTOM.
SILENT CATARACTS!
Who made you glorious as the gates of heaven
Beneath the keen full moon? Who bade the sun
Clothe you with rainbows? Who with living flowers
Of loveliest blue, spread garlands at your feet? —
God! Let the torrents, like a shout of nations,
Answer! and let the ice-plains echo "God."
* * *
Ye living flowers that skirt the eternal frost;
Ye eagles, playmates of the mountain storm;
Ye lightnings, the dread arrows of the clouds;
* •
Utter forth God, and fill the hills with praise!
— Samuel T. Colbridgb.
(From Hymn to Mount Blanc.)
The teacher who earnestly desires to lead children to see,
to enjoy, and to love nature, must dwell with the poet and the
artist as well as with the scientist ; she must learn to appreciate
something of the beauty they saw in forest and stream and
the joy they felt in its portrayal.
The true poet's inter-
^«.^4.«.4.:^^ ^r 4.1,* ^«*«4.^-'« "Of roch uiwuin'd, fttbUme, impassioned iont
pretatjon of the Creator s ^^^^ ,„^^ p^,„g „„ ^„, ^,„, ^^
messages is Might lUten mid the emndt of the sUes,
RufuS Choate attributes AndUn^erallunblsmed."
much of his power as an orator to the habit formed when a
boy, of committing the most beautiful passages of everything
he read. Poetry, which Wordsworth calls "the breath and
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34 NATURE STUDY
finer spirit of all knowledge," will help the child to see and
to feel the beauty of his surroundings. When the teacher
recognizes clearly the power of literature as a spiritualizing^
element in her own life, she will earnestly endeavor to bring
the child under the influence of writers who will touch his
heart, quicken his perception of beauty and give him gjeat and
beautiful thoughts as a permanent possession.
The thoughtful repetition of an ideal nature poem must
enlarge the child's horizon and pve him a deeper, fuller sense
of the beauty of his surroundings, and for this reason the
memorizing of poems should be considered an important part
of the work in nature study.
The entire poem should be read by the teacher, then re-read
and committed by the children after they have discussed it
and made the thought their own.
Burroughs tells us that he was not conscious of any love for
nature until his mind was brought in contact with literature.
BURROUGHS ON NATURE
• • • * What knowledge I possess of her creatures and ways has
come to me through contemplation and enjoyment, rather than through
deliberate study of her. I have been occupied more with the spirit than
with the letter of her works. In our time, it seems to me, too much
stress is laid upon the letter. We approach Nature in an exact, cal-
culating, tabulating, mercantile spirit. We seek to make an inventory
of her store-house. Our relations with her take on the air of business,
not of love and friendship. The clerk of the fields and woods goes forth
with his block of printed tablets upon which, and under various heads,
he puts down what he sees, and I suppose foots 'it all up and gets at
the exact sum of his knowledge when he gets back home. He is so in-
tent upon the bare fact that he does not see the spirit or the meaning
of the whole. He does not see the bird, he sees an ornithological
specimen; he does not see the wild flower, he sees a new acquisition to
his herbarium; in the bird's nest he sees only another prize for his col-
lection. Of that sympathetic and emotional intercourse with nature
which soothes and enriches the soul, he experiences little or none.
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 85
The knowledge of nature that comes easy, that conies through
familiarity with her, as through fishing, hunting, nutting, walking, farm-
ing — ^that is the kind that reaches and affects the character and becomes
a grown part of us. We absorb this as we absorb the air, and it gets
into the blood. Fresh, vital knowledge is one thing; the dessiccated
fact is another. Do we know the wild flower when we have analyzed it
and pressed it or made a drawing of it? Of course this is one kind of
knowledge and is suited to certain minds, but if we cannot supplement
it with the other kind, the knowledge that comes through the heart
and the emotions, we are poor indeed.
I recently read a lecture on "How a Naturalist is Trained/' and I
was forced to conclude that I was not and never could be a naturalist
at all, that I knew nothing about nature. It seems, from this lecture,
that the best naturalist is he who can cut a fish-egg up in the thinnest
slices. • • • Are the great naturalists really trained in this way?
I could but ask. * * • A large and open-eyed study of Nature and
of natural forms, how much more fruitful it is than this minute dissec-
tion of germs and eggs! A naturalist is to be trained through his
ordinary faculties of human observation, as Humboldt and Goethe
were.
Not long since in a high school in one of our large cities, I saw a
class of boys and girls studying Nature after this cold-blooded analyt-
ical fashion. They were fingering and dissecting some of the lower sea
forms, and appeared to find it uninteresting business, as I am sure I
should have done. If there was a country boy among them, I am sure
the knowledge of Nature he had gathered on the farm was worth a
hundred fold, for human purposes or the larger purposes of sciences,
all this biological chaff. * * * The purely educational value of
Nature Study is in its power to add to our capacity of education— our
love and enjoyment of all open-air objects. In this way it adds to the
resources of life, and arms a man against the ennui and vacuity that
doth so easily beset us.
I recently had a letter from the principal of a New England high
school, putting some questions to me touching these very matters: Do
children love Nature? how shall we instill this love into them? how
and when did I myself acquire my love for her? etc. In reply I said:
"The child, in my opinion, does not consciously love nature; it is curious
about things, about everything; its instincts lead it forth into the fields
and woods; it browses around; it gathers flowers— they are pretty; it
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86 NATURE STUDY
stores up impressions. Boys go forth into Nature more as savages:
they are predaceous, seeking whom they may devour; they gather roots,
nuts, wild fruit, berries, eggs, etc. At least this was my case. I hunted,
I fished, I browsed, I wandered with a vague longing in the woods, I
trapped, I went cooning at night, I made ponds in the little streams, 1
boiled sap in the maple woods in spring, I went to sleep under the
trees in summer, I caught birds in their nests, I watched for the little
frogs in the marshes, etc. ♦ • • i was not conscious of any love
for Nature, as such, till my mind was brought in contact with literature.
Then I discovered that I, too, loved Nature, and had a whole world of
impressions stored up in my subconscious self upon which to draw. I
found I knew about the birds, the animals, the seasons, the trees, the
flowers, and that these things had become almost a grown part of me.
I have been drawing upon the reservoir of youthful impressions ever
since.
Anything like accurate or scientific knowledge of nature which I may
possess is of later date; but my boyhood on the farm seems to have
given me the feeling and to have put me in right relation with these
things. Of course writing about these subjects also deepens one's love
for them. If Nature is to be a resource in a man's life, one's relation
to her must not be too exact and formal, but more that of a lover and
iritnd"—Permissi<m of Mr, Burroughs.
By all means then, give the child the rich heritage of liter-
ature with its messages of truth and beauty, which will help
him to read the poems written by the Creator, "too gjand for
words or rhyme."
Prepare him to appreciate the inspirational literature of
nature by leading him to watch closely and interpret sym-
pathetically the life story of a few of nature's most beautiful
types. Heine says : "Nature, like a great poet, knows how to
produce the grandest effects with the fewest materials. You
have only a sun, trees, flowers, water, and love. In sooth,
should this last be absent from the heart of the beholder, the
aspect is poor enough ; for then the sun is only so and so many
miles in diameter, and trees are good for fuel, and flowers
clas3ified scientifically, and water is wet."
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 87
The influence of ennobling sentiment is something to be
felt rather than analyzed. Here are examples :
A CHILD'S THOUGHT OF GOD
They say that God lives very high;
Btit^ if you look above the pines.
You cannot see our God, and why?
And if you dig down in the mines.
You never see Him in the gold;
Though from Him all that's glory shines.
God is so good He wears a fold
Of heaven and earth across His face.
Like secrets kept from love untold.
But still I feel that His embrace
Slides down by thrills through all things made-
Through sight and sound of every place.
^Elizabeth Baulett Browning.
POBMS IN NATURE
In the oldest wood I know a brooklet.
That bubbles over stones and roots.
And ripples out of hollow places,
Like music out of flutes.
There creeps the ptmgent breath of cedars.
Rich coolness wraps the air about
Whilst through clear pools electric flashes
Betray the watchful trout.
*I know where wild things lurk and linger
In groves as gray and grand as time;
I know where God has written poems
Too strong for words or rhyme.
—Maurice Thompson.
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38 NATURE STUDY
Children memorize:
SONG OF CREATION
The spacious firmament on high.
With all the blue, ethereal sky.
And spangled heavens, a shining frame,
Their great Original proclaim;
Th' unwearied sun, from day to day.
Does his Creator's power display.
And publishes to every land
The work of an Almighty hand.
Soon as the evening shades prevail
The moon takes up the wondrous tale
And nightly to the listening earth.
Repeats the story of her birth;
While all the stars that round her burn.
And all the planets in their turn.
Confirm the tidings as they roll^
And spread the truth from pole to pole.
What though no real voice or sound
Amid their radiant orbs be found?
In Reason's ear they all rejoice.
And utter forth a glorious voice.
Forever singing as they shine,
"The Hand that made us is divine!"
—Addison.
THE GLORY OF GOD IN CREATION
Thou art, O God, the life and light
Of all this wondrous world we see;
Its glow by day, its smile by night.
Are but reflections caught from thee.
Where'er we turn, thy glories shine.
And all things fair and bright 'are thine.
—Thomas Moorb.
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 89
NATURE'S MIRACLES
What prodigies can Power Divine perform
More grand than it produces year by year.
And all in sight of inattentive man?
Familiar with th' effect, we slight the cause.
And in the constancy of nature's course.
And regular return of genial months.
And renovation of a faded world.
See naught to wonder at.
Should God again^
As once in Gabaon, interrupt the race
Of the undeviating and punctual sun.
How would the world admire! But speaks it less
An agency Divine^ to make him know.
The moment when to sink^ and when to rise,
Age after age, than to arrest his course?
All we behold is miracle: but, seen
So duly, all is miracle in vain.
Where now the vital energy that moved,
While summer was, the pure and subtle lymph
Through th' imperceptible, meandering veins
Of leaf and flower? It sleeps; and th' icy touch
Of unprolific winter has impressed
A cold stagnation on the intestine tide.
But, let the months go round, a few short months.
And all shall be restored. These naked shoots.
Barren as lances, among which the wind
Makes wintr^* music, sighing as it goes^
Shall put their graceful foliage on again,
And more aspiring, and with ampler spread,
Shall boast new charms, and more than they have lost.
The beauties of the wilderness are His,
That makes so gay the solitary place,
Where no eye sees them. And their fairer forms.
That cultivation glories in, are His.
He sets the bright procession on its way.
And marshals all the order of the year;
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40 NATURE STUDY
He marks the bounds, which winter may not pass,
And blunts its pointed fury: in its case^
Russet and rude, folds up the tender germ
Uninjured, with inimitable art;
And, ere one flowery season fades and dies.
Designs the blooming wonders of the next.
The Lord of all. Himself through all diffused.
Sustains, and is the life of all that lives.
Nature is but a name for an effect.
Whose cause is God. One spirit — His,
Who wore the platted thorns with bleeding brows —
Rules universal nature. Not a flower
But shows some touch, in freckles, streak or stain.
Of His unrivaled pencil. He inspires
Their balmy odors, and imparts their hues.
And bathes their eyes with nectar and includes.
In grains as countless as the seaside sands,
The forms with which he sprinkles all the earth.
Happy who walks with Him! whom what he finds
Of flavor or of scent in fruit or flower.
Or what he views of beautiful or grand
In nature, from the broad majestic oak
To the green blade that twinkles in the sun,
Prompts with remembrance of a present God.
— CowPEa.
THE FOREST HYMN
The groves were God's first temples. Ere man learned
To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them— ere he framed
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood.
Amid the cool and silence, he knelt down.
And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks
And supplication. For his simple heart
Might not resist the sacred influences
Which, from the stilly twilight of the place.
And from the gray old trunks, that high in heaven
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 41
Mingled their mossy boughs, and from the sound
Of the invisible breath that swayed at once
All their green tops, stole over him, and bowed
His spirit with the thought of boundless power
And inaccessible majesty. Ah, why
Should we, in the world's riper years, neglect
God's ancient sanctuaries, and adore
Only among the crowd, and under roofs
That our frail hands have raised? Let me, at least.
Here, in the shadow of this aged wood.
Offer one hymn — ^thrice happy, if it find
Acceptance in His ear.
Father, Thy hand
Hath reared these venerable columns. Thou
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down
Upon the naked earth, and, forthwith rose
All these fair ranks of trees. They, in Thy sun.
Budded, and shook their green leaves in thy breeze.
And shot toward heaven. The century-living crow
Whose berth was in their tops, grew old and died
Among their branches, till, at last they stood
As now they stand, massy, and tall, and dark.
Fit shrine for humble worshipper to hold
Communion with his Maker.
These dim vaults.
These winding aisles, of human pomp or pride
Report not. No fantastic carvings show
The boasts of our vain race to change the form
Of thy fair works. But thou art here— thou fiU'st
The solitude. Thou art in the soft winds
That run along the summit of these trees
In music; thou art in the cooler breath,
That from the inmost darkness of the place
Comes, scarcely felt; the barky trunks, the ground^
The fresh moist ground, are all instinct with thee.
Here is continual worship— Nature, here,
In the tranquility thou dost love,
Enjoys thy presence. Noiselessly, around.
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42 NATURE STUDY
From perch to perch, the solitary bird
Passes; and yon clear spring, that, midst its herbs.
Wells softly forth and wandering steeps the roots
Of half the mighty forest, tells no tale
Of all the good it does.
Thou hast not left
Thyself without a witness, in these shades.
Of thy perfection. Grandeur, strength, and grace
Are here to speak of thee. This mighty oak —
By whose immovable stem I stand and seem
Almost annihilated — not a prince.
In all that proud old world beyond the deep.
E'er wore his crown as loftily as he
Wears the green coronal of leaves with which
Thy hand has graced him. Nestled at his root
Is beauty, such as blooms not in the glare
Of the broad sun. Thou delicate forest flower.
With scented breath and look so like a smile.
Seems, as it issues from the shapeless mould,
An emanation of the indwelling Life,
A visible token of the upholding Love,
That are the soul of this wide universe.
My heart is awed within me when I think
Of the great miracle that still goes on.
In silence, round me — the perpetual work
Of thy creation, finished, yet renewed
Forever. Written on thy works I read
The lesson of thy own eternity.
Lo! All grow old and die — ^but see, again.
How on the faltering footsteps of decay
Youth presses— ever gay and beautiful youth
In all its beautiful forms. These lofty trees
Wave not less proudly that their ancestors
Moulder beneath them. ♦ ♦ ♦
There have been holy men who hid themselves
Deep in the woody wilderness, and gave
Their lives to thought and prayer, till they outlived
The generation born with them, nor seemed
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INTRODUCTORY DISCUSSION 48
Less aged than the hoary trees and rocks
Around them; — and there have been holy men
Who deemed it were not well to pass life thus.
But let me often to these solitudes
Retire^ and in thy presence reassure
My feeble virtue. ♦ ♦ ♦
Be it ours to meditate
In these calm shades, thy milder majesty,
And to the beautiful order of thy ^orks
Learn to conform the order of our lives.
— W. C Bryant.
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CHAPTER II
FALL NATURE STUDY
EACH AND ALL
PURPOSE OP THE WORK
To inspire and develop an inquiring, reverent spirit by lead-
ing the child to discover some of the secrets of the types
studied.
To cultivate a sympathetic interest and a love for nature.
Outdoor lessons are necessary in order to enlist the child's
sympathy and permit nature to speak to his soul as well as to
his senses. Relation to environment, life, habits, function,
beauty, protection, unity, and dependence should be empha-
sized in the lower grades.
The child's own experi-
ence should form the basis
of what he acquires, and
the more spontaneity and
enjoyment there is in the
nature study the more it
will add to the resources
of his life. Emerson's
inspiring poem reveals
the beauty of the perfect
whole in nature and
serves as a broad founda-
tion for the study of types
in their true home.
All are needed by eacb one;
NoUiing is lair or good alone.
I thought the sparrow's note from heaven,
Singing at dawn on the alder bongh ;
I brought him home, in his nest, at eren ;
He sings the song, but it cheers not now,
For I did not bring home the river or dcy ;—
He sang to my ear,— they sang to my cjre*
The delicate shells lay on the shore ;
The bubbles of the latest wave
Fresh pearls to their enamel gave,
And the bellowing of the savage sea
Greeted their safe escape to me,
I wiped away the weeds and foam
I fetched my seaborn treasure home ;
But the poor unsightly, noisome things
Had left their beauty on the shore
With the sun and the sand and the wild uproar
• • • — RAX.PB Waldo Bmbrsom.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 46
LESSONS ON PLANTS
From the first, children should be led to think of each plant
as a working organism, closely related to its environment, and
it should under no circumstances be studied as an isolated
thing.
It is related to, and dependent upon soil, air, sunlight and
rain. It supplies insects, birds and other animals with food.
It furnishes clothing, food and shelter for man, and is a
constant reminder of the Creator's power and goodness.
Bryant says :
"Thou hast not left
Thyself without a witness, in these shades^
Of thy perfection. Grandeur, strength and grace
Are here to speak of Thee.*'
"Not a flower
But shows some touch, in freckles.
Streak or stain.
Of His unrivaled pencil."
— COWPE*.
"The Primrose of the Rock" read to the older children will
help them to see unity and interdependence in nature.
Wordsworth calls the Primrose —
A lasting link in Nature's chain
From highest heaven let down.
The flowers, still faithful to the stems
Their fellowship renew;
The stems are faithful to the root.
That worketh out of view;
And to the rock the root adheres
In every fibre true.
Qose dings to earth the living rock.
Though threatning still to fall;
The earth is constant to her sphere;
And God upholds them all. * * *
— WoaDSWOETH.
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46 NATURE STUDY
FLOWERS
"Flowers are the thoughts of the spirit of God
Their love is love of his grace.
Their fragrance is breath of divinity.
Their beauty the light of his face."
Nature Study and Li/e.— Hodge.
Flowers are among the purest, loveliest things in nature and
the teacher who develops a genuine abiding love of flowers in
the heart of a child is instrumental in enriching his whok life
by enabling him to treasure up a wealth of happiness for
future years.
A teacher may begin this work by asking children : What
flowers do you know? Tell about flowers you have seen
growing in the woods, the garden, the park, the green-
house. What flowers do you like best? Why? What flowers
have you cared for? What flowers close on the approach of
rain? Close at night? Where do water-lilies grow? Ferns?
Cat's-tail ? Wild roses ? What plants sprout quickly in water?
What plants grow from slips? Why does putting the ends of
flower stems in water keep the leaves and blossoms fresh?
What fruits are ripening this month ? Name fruits cultivated
near our homes. What fruits can be obtained at the grocery
store? Find ten seed cradles. Name five important food
plants. How many seeds in a cone? What yellow flowers
may be seen now? What blue flowers? What seeds can you
find on your way to school? What nuts? How many colors
can you find in leaves? What trees do you know? What
stories or poems do you know about flowers and trees?
Questions answered by mbmorzzb^-
individual observation. ^^ ^^^'^ "•"«** *" *^^ ^^ without a gun?
ft uiv^ii, ^^^ ^^ wood-rose and left it on iU ataUc ?
will help children to read • • •
O be my friend and teach me to be thine,
some of the messages — Smbrson. fbrbearamct,
which the wayside flowers and trees have for them.
Outdoor observation with the class as a whole, and individ-
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FALL NATURE STUDY 47
ual work out of school hours is absolutely necessary in order
to secure the best results in this subject.
Choice poems and legends will strengthen the child's love
for plant life and give him a deeper, fuller sense of their loveli-
ness and symbolism.
THE FORGET-ME-NOT
When to the flowers so beautiful
The Father gave a name
Back came a little blue-eyed one.
All timidly it came^
And standing at its Father's feet.
And gazing in His face.
It said, in low and trembling tones.
And with a modest grace,
"Dear God, the name thou gavest me,
Alas! I have forgot."
The Father kindly looked him down
And said, "Forget-me-not."
THE MOSS ROSE
The angel of the flowers one day.
Beneath a rose-tree sleeping lay, —
That spirit to whose charge 'tis given
To bathe young buds in dews of heaven.
Awakening from his light repose.
The angel whispered to the rose:
"O fondest object of my care,
Still fairest founds where all are fair;
For the sweet shade thou giv'st to me
Ask what thou wilt, 'tis granted thee."
"Then," said the rose with deepened glow,
"On me another grace bestow."
The spirit paused, in silent thought.
What grace was there that flower had not?
'Twas but a moment,— o'er the rose
A veil of moss the angel throws.
And, robed in nature's simplest weed,
Could there a flower that rose exceed?
—From the German Krummacher,
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48 NATURE STUDY
THE PANSY
Once upon a time a flower of exquisite beauty and fragrance grew
under a tall leaf in a lonely dell. One day an angel flying down to earth
on a mission of love happened with her wing to brush aside the leaf
and discover the flower.
"Ah!" cried the angel as she bent down to inhale its sweet fragrance;
"You arc far too lovely to live here in this forsaken spot. I will breathe
upon you and give you an angel's face. You shall go forth and bloom
in every land and carry with you sweet thoughts of love and heaven.
From year to year you shall grow in beauty; and the richness and the
splendor of your dress shall be a marvel and a joy to all who behold
you." Then the angel kissed the flower and left the imprint of her
beauty upon it. That is why the pansy has such a lovely face and has
been called the flower that means loving thoughts. — Adapted,
FOR READING AND DISCUSSION
THE USE OF FLOWERS
God might have made the earth bring forth
Enough for great and small.
The oak tree, and the cedar tree.
Without a flower at all.
We might have had enough, enough.
For every want of ours.
For luxury, medicine and toil,
And yet have had no flowers.
Then wherefore, wherefore were they made
All dyed with rainbow light.
All fashioned with supremest grace,
Upspringing day and night —
Springing in valleys green and low.
And on the mountains high.
And in the silent wilderness.
Where no man passeth by?
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FALL NATURE STUDY 49
Oar outward life requires them not,
Then wherefore had they birth?
To minister delight to man.
To beautify the earth;
To whisper hope — ^to comfort man
Whene'er his faith is dim;
For who so careth for the flowers
Will care much more for Himl
—Mary Howitt.
Secretary James Wilson
ccTOf , . « "Flower in the crannied wall
says: Flowers should ipl«dfcyo« out of the crannies;
abound in the school HoW you here, root and aU, in my hand.
. ,_. I4tUe flower— bnt if I could undetBtand
grounds. Iney are among what you are, root and all, and all in all.
the best educators, for they I should know what Ood and man is."
, , • • <. TBKHTSOlf.
develop taste and a love for
the beautiful, and make men sensitive to the attractive and
lovely, in town or country, in field or forest."
Read and discuss this poem :
BRING FLOWERS
• Bring flowers, pale flowers, o'er the bier to shed,
A crown for the brow of the early deadl
• For this through its leaves hath the white rose burst.
For this in the woods was the violet nursed I
Though they smile in vain for what once was ours.
They are love's last gift. Bring ye flowers, pale flowers I
Bring flowers to the shrine where we kneel in prayer, —
They are nature's offering, their place is there!
They speak of hope to the fainting heart,
With a voice of promise they come and part.
They sleep in dust through the wintry hours.
They break forth in glory. Bring flowers, bright flowers!
— Mrs. Hemans.
If the teacher has awakened a deep interest in plant life by
means of informal talks and outdoor lessons, some common
flower may be chosen for special study.
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60 NATURE STUDY
The Life History of a Plant.— Tell children they may help
to awaken the wonderful life hidden in the seeds they find in
the garden. Let children plant seeds, morning-glory, poppy,
and others, daily for a couple of weeks so that specimens in
diiferent stages of development will be ready when needed.
Spring is, of course, the
best time of the year to I** the heart of a seed In^^^^^^
J A dear little plant lay fast asleep,
plant seeds and study ger- "Wate," said the sunshine "and creep to the
mination, but the needs «walS"'iaid«ie voice of the raindrops bri|,ht.
of growing plants and the The Uttle plant heard and rose to see
value of a seed should be what the wondeiful outside world might be.
— SBLBCTBD.
emphasized at this time.
THE MORNING-GLORY
Aims.— I. To lead children to think of the unity of plant
life.
2. To direct attention to the beauty and the perfection to
be found in common plants.
3. To call special attention to the importance and the for-
mation of seeds.
Preparatory Work. — Review **The Use of Flowers" and
"The Water Bloom."
Give questions, to be answered by studying the plants out
of doors. Why called morning-glory? How many colors do
you find in the open flowers? When do they go to sleep and
when wake up? Does the same flower open day after day?
What insects visit the morning-glory? Review observations
made on morning-glory in the window-box and lead children
to recall the needs of growing plants — soil, heat, light, and
moisture. Talk about the habits of this flower.
Material. — Put several long sprays of morning-glories con-
taining all the different parts of the plant in jars of water.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 61
Plan of Work — Compare the plant to a household. The
Flower Household includes Flower mistress or queen, the
stem servants, the leaf servants, and the root servants. Exam-
ine the morning-glory and see how the different members in
this interesting household are dressed for their work. The
mistress or queen in rainbow colors, the leaf and stem servants
in green and the root servants in brown. Teacher, hang prism
in a sunny window and let children match morning-glory and
spectrum colors.
Incidentally name the parts of the flower— cal)rx, corolla,
stamens, and -pistil, while directing attention to its beauty.
Note position and appearance of the buds. Decorate black-
board by sketching sprays of morning-glories.
The pupils have been watching the growth of the morning-
glory in the window-box and are now ready to study the
plant from the standpoint of The Hawersstm faithful to the stem..
function. Tell children they Their feuowship renew ;
are to find out about the work ?L\t:i:tho't?o^^^^
of the plant and of each of its -Wordsworth.
parts. Read selections that will bring the children into sym-
pathy with the subject.
Work of the Root. — Lead children to see that the roots hold
the other members of the family in place and aid in supporting
the stem. Examine seedlings grown on cotton or moist blot-
ting paper, to see the root-hairs. Oats and corn will show
root-hairs without a microscope better than most plants.
Dig up carefully five or six growing plants, destroy the root-
hairs on two or three and immerse roots of all the plants in a
jar of water. Try several similar experiments and lead chil-
dren to see that the plants will not live without the root-hairs.
Let children get the thought from the plants.
Cut off the stem of a vigorously growing plant and observe
the drop of water forming on the cut end of stem. The water
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62 NATURE STUDY
came from the root, was absorbed from the soil through the
root*hairs.
Work of the Stem.— By questioning, help children to see and
tell that the stem holds up the leaves, buds and flowers to the
sun and takes food from the roots to the leaves and the flowers.
Let a corner of a sheet of blotting paper touch the surface
of colored water and watch the liquid creeping upward. Lamp-
wick, twine, or a block of sugar will show this also.
Put stems of a plant with white flowers, as begonia, in a red
liquid and notice the color of the petals a few hours later.
Experiment with leaf of bleached celery also.
Measure the growth of the morning-glory in the window-box
daily. Observe the stem twining around a support. Turn
back and fasten a morning-glory stem and see what happens.
Work of the Leaves. — Remove leaves from a morning-glory
vine to show that the stem with leaves is much prettier than
the one without. Call attention to the fresh leaves ; veins firm
and strong, color bright green and outlines perfect.
Leaves Give Out Moisture.— -Place a handful of fresh leaves
on a table and cover with a glass dish. Place another jar
without leaves near the first. Children discover that the glass
over the fresh leaves contains moisture and the other glass
does not. Try several similar experiments until children are
convinced, that the leaves give out moisture. The moisture
came from the leaves, the leaves obtained it from the stem, the
stem from the root, and the root from the soil.
Observe petiole, shape of leaf, and the uses of the veins in
spreading out the leaf blade.
Direct attention to the arrangement of the leaves on the
stem, turning and spreading out to catch the sunlight.
The flower is the most beautiful part of the plant and should
be approached most thoughtfully.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 68
THE MORNING-GLORY
Up it sprang from the soft, dark earth
The morning-glory vine;
Higher and higher, brave and green.
With many a twist and twine.
Bird and butterfly wheeled to see.
And children stopped a-row.
To point with rosy fingers sweet.
And watch the blossoms grow.
Purple and crimson, white and blue.
Out from the lightsome green.
They swing and rustle, the dainty bells.
Their sheltering leaves between.
Low by the grass and high by the roof.
And beautiful all the way;
"And the prettiest flowers grow highest up,"
The children wisely say.
—Selected.
Flower.— The Mistress or Queen of the Household.
The corolla is the attractive part of this plant. Notice differ-
ences in color; corolla in one piece. Children, find dividing
lines and compare with the number of parts in calyx. The
corolla protects the most important part of the flower. Count
the notches on the border and notice the lines that extend
from each notch down to the end of the tube. Urge children
to handle specimens carefully as something very precious.
Teacher, open a flower and paste on card so that the inside of
the flower may be examined.
Here we find five stamens fastened to the lower part of the
blossom. One stamen attached to each part of the corolla.
Take a good look at the stamens because they have very im-
portant work to do for the flower, they bear something that
makes the seeds grow. Children, touch stamens and see the
white pollen grains on their fingers.
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54 NATURE STUDY
Find the favorite number in this flower. Five stamens, five
nectar tubes, five notches on the corolla, and five sepals.
Observe the morning-glory out of doors. Children, notice
bees at work getting pollen from the stamens and nectar from
the openings at the base of the flower. Call attention to the
pistil in the center of the flower with the stigma at the top
and the seed vessel at the bottom.
Examine the morning-glory vine and find a calyx without
a blossom. Find pistil and calyx without corolla. Find seed-
pods protected by calyx.
Children, examine a seed-pod containing soft, delicate
ovules. How does the pollen reach the ovules? It falls on
the little knob (stigma) at the top of the pistil. The bees are
constantly flying from flower to flower, getting honey from
one part of the flower and pollen from another part, and in
doing this, they leave pollen grains on the stigma of the ripe
pistil, the pollen passes down the tube to the seed-pod and
the ovules begin to grow. The flowers soon fade so that the
plant's energy may be devoted to the manufacture of seeds.
Open a ripe seed-pod and find three rooms in this little house
and two seeds (three-sided seeds) in each room. If the vine
is shaken, the seeds fall, when they are ripe. Children, find
germinating seeds near the vines. Mark the growth by tying
colored twine on the support each morning. Children, save
seeds to plant next year.
Teacher, sketch morning-glory vine as directed by children,
in order to lead them to observe carefully. Erase and let pupils
sketch plant as a whole. Agassiz says, "A pencil is a good
eye."
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FALL NATURE STUDY 66
SUMMARY OF PLANT HOUSEHOLD
Includes how many members? Appearance of each? Inter-
teresting habits? Work of the delicate root-hairs? stems?
leaves? flowers?
Flower. — Emphasize beauty of color, beauty of form and
beauty of use. Describe and picture calyx, corolla, stamen,
and pistil. Work of each? How do the flowers help the
bees? How do the bees help the flowers? Picture a morning-
glory vine from memory. What is the mission of this flower?
To beautify the earth and to make seeds. Tell the story we
have been reading since we planted our morning-glory seeds.
Lead children to think of the beauty wrapped up in the seed.
Compare the morning-glory with its relative, the bind
weed (wild morning-glory) that is found twining over fences
in the country. Our morning-glory is a member of a very
distinguished family (Convolvulus) and has a number of beau-
tiful and useful cousins, moonflower, cypress vine, sweet po-
tato, and many others.
A LITTLE MORNING-GLORY SEED
One sunny day in May a little girl planted a morning-glory seed.
It was a tiny seed with a hard brown coat.
This little girl put the seed in the ground and covered it with earth.
Then she said: ''Now, little seed, grow, grow, grow! Grow until
you are a tall green vine. I want to see your pretty green leaves. I
want to see your lovely trumpet flowers."
Little Mary went into the country to visit her grandma. John forgot
the little seed, and it was left to take care of itself.
The ground where it lay was very dry. There had been no rain for
a long time, so the wee seed could not grow at all.
It lay in the dry earth many days. It was very tired, and said to the
ground: "O ground, please give me a few drops of water. Please
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66 NATURE STUDY
soften my coat. It is so hard and tight I cannot get my arms out. I
shall never be a vine."
The ground answered, "I have not a drop of water to give you, little
seed. You must ask the rain."
The little seed called to the rain: "O rain, I am a little morning-glory
seed, deep down in the ground. I want to get out into the bright
world, but I cannot. Won't you come down and wet the ground? My
coat will then become soft. I shall be able to burst it open, and push
out my two seed-leaves. Then I shall soon be a vine."
"I would like to help you," said the rain, "but I cannot, unless the
clouds hang lower."
"O clouds," said the little seed, "please hang lower. Please let the
rain come down. I need a few drops of water to soften my coat.
I want to be a beautiful green vine. Won't you please help me?"
"The sun must hide first," said the clouds.
The little seed called to the sun, "O sun, please hide your bright
face for a little while. Then the clouds can hang lower and the rain can
come to me. My coat will be soft and I can push up into the world."
The sun loved the beautiful flowers. He loved the little seed, and he
wanted to make it happy. He said, "Yes, I will hide."
Soon the clouds began to hang lower and lower. The warm rain-
drops began to fall faster find faster. The ground grew wetter and
wetter. The little seed felt its coat grow softer and softer. Soon open
it burst
Out came some little rootlets and two bright green seed-leaves.
Upward they pushed their way through the soft ground. At last, out
they came into the warm air and bright sunshine.
How beautiful the world looked! How sweetly the birds sang! How
happy the little flower was! It grew very fast. The warm rain and
sun helped it. It became a tall, green vine, and sent out some little
flower buds.
One morning the little buds opened, and out came the lovely trumpet
flowers, to help make the world bright and happy.
When the little girl came back from her visit at grandma's, she ran
to see if the morning-glory seed had begun to grow. How pleased
and surprised she was when she saw the tall green vine and the pretty
flowers.
"Can this be the little seed that I planted?" she said. "How fast it
has grown!"
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FALL NATURE STUDY 67
Just then she thought she heard a low« soft voice. It said: "Yes,
little girl, I have grown. But I would still be the same tiny brown
seed but for some kind friends. The soil, the sun, and the rain helped
me to grow into this vine."— Selected.
TERMS USED IN DESCRIBING FLOWERS
Peduncle or flower stem.
Calyx: Outer whorl of green flower-leaves, (sometimes
colored).
Corolla : Inner whorl of colored flower-leaves.
Perianth. The calyx and corolla taken together.
Sepals : Part of calyx. Petals : Part of corolla.
Stamens : Thread-like parts inside the corolla.
Pistil : The central part of the flower.
Filament : The stem of stamen.
Anther : The head of stamen. Pollen : Dust in anther.
Style : Stem of pistil. Stigma : Head of pistil.
Ovary : The base of pistil, holding seed.
Fruit ; The ripened ovary with its adhesions.
THE BUTTERFLY
Aim.— To cultivate a sympathetic interest in living things.
To give children an opportunity to observe the development of
one of the most interesting types of animal life.
The graceful forms and beautiful colors of the many differ-
ent kinds of butterflies are remarkably attractive and their life
history is as fascinating as a fairy tale.
Preparation. — Informal talk with children about flowers and
their insect friends.
Send pupils to the garden to get acquainted with their most
attractive friends — the butterflies.
What flowers do they visit?
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68 NATURE STUDY
Compare their flight with the flight of birds and dragon-flies.
In what position does the butterfly hold its wings when at
rest? Observe one for sev-
eral minutes some day and oh I plcaaant. pleasant, were the day».
^ - , "l--. The times when in our childish plays
report observation. What My sister Emmellne and I
do they get from the flowers ? *^^^^^^ chased the Butterfly I
_^^ A very hunter did I rush
Lead children to see the upon the prey; with leaps and spring*
butterfly with the poet's eye. ^ followed on from brake and bush ;
• • < ®"* "^c* ^^o^ ^o^* ^^^ ' feared to brush
This IS what one great poet The dust fromeff its wings.- Worz>8wo&th-
says:
Emphasize beauty of color and form and make children de-
sire to imitate Emmeline's example. Tell them, that the story
this beautiful creature has to tell is very, very wonderful, and
not too difficult for them to understand. Center the study of
scale-winged insects about some particular kind that can be
easily observed.
Cabbage Butterfly. — ^They are white with a few black lines
or spots upon upper surface of wings and yellowish upon the
under surface. They may be seen from early spring until late
autumn. The different stages — eggs, larva, pupa and adult
can be found in early fall and the entire transformation
watched by children. To obtain the eggs, place an empty box
with top and bottom removed, over a box containing a grow-
ing food plant (cabbage, nasturtium, or radish). Cover with
mosquito netting. Teacher, capture a number of butterflies
and put them in the box with cabbage, or other plant, where
they will be likely to deposit eggs. If eggs are not secured
let children find caterpillars and observe their habits for two
or three days before formal study is begun.
Care of Caterpillars. — ^Keep some in a glass jar and some in
a box, with sides removed, covered with netting. Supply the
plants on which they were found feeding.
Habits. — Observe the caterpillar crawling on glass, also on
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FALL NATURE STUDY 69
netting. Watch the movement of the jaws from side to side
when eating. The little creature eats nearly all the time. He
grows so rapidly that his skin becomes too tight for him and
he is obliged to cast it off (moult). Watch and see how often
he changes his skin covering before he is full grown.
Structure. — Direct attention to shape of body (cylindrical),
size, number of segments, number of legs and eyes. To which
segments are the legs attached? What is the difference be-
tween the first three pairs of legs and the other five pairs?
Children will delight in watching the change into pupa or
chrysalis, — a resting stage.
Spinning. — ^When full grown, observe restlessness and
change of color. Watch it spinning a tuft of silk and fastening
it to a support. Children will soon have an opportunity to
read the most interesting chapter in the life of a' butterfly.
The beauty of the chrysalis cannot compare with the beauty
of the white winged creature that makes its appearance when
the chrysalis opens. The chrysalis formed in August or Sep-
tember may become a butterfly in a few weeks. Children,
watch the change in form and size of wings and body.
Review the life history; egg, larva, chrysalis, butterfly, and
develop the following facts with as few questions as possible.
BUTTERFLY
Study the living butterfly.
Body divided into three parts ; head, thorax, and abdomen.
The tongue is long and slender and when not in use is coiled
like the spring of a watch. Provide a few drops of sugar and
water and let children see the tongue uncoil. It is fine enough
to thrust into the narrowest and longest flowers for nectar.
Feelers, or antennae, long and slender with little knobs at
the end.
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60 NATURE STUDY
Six slender, weak legs. It uses its legs only when eating or
resting.
Wings, four in number, are covered with scales, which over-
lap like the scales of a fish. Scales are attached to the wings
by tiny stems. Let children examine the scales with a mag-
nifying glass, if possible. They are very beautiful and give
the wings their color. The fore wings are triangular and the
hind ones rounded.
The legs and wings are attached to the thorax. Let children
sketch and paint the butterfly in different positions on flowers.
Compare caterpillar and butterfly as to habits, structure, form,
and color.
The life of a butterfly is very brief. Give the little creatures
their freedom and watch them on the flowers in the sunshine.
Read:
I've watched you now a full half hour.
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;
And little butterfly, indeed,
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! — not frozen seas
More motionless — and then
What joys await yoti when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again.
This plot of orchard ground is ours.
My trees they are, my sister's flowers;
Here rest your wings when they are weary,
Here lodge as in a sanctuary.
Come to us often, fear no wrong.
Sit near us on the bough.
We'll talk of sunshine and of song.
And summer days when we were young;
Sweet childish days, that were as long
As twenty days are now.
—Wordsworth.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 61
Try to lead the children to see, in imagination, the scenes
pictured in the poem.
Compare with moth and milkweed butterfly. — Development,
structure, habits, etc.
Compare with the dragon fly which has four beautiful gauze-
like net-veined wings, long slender body, large head with gem-
like eyes. Home near the water; lives on insects; always on
the wing; flight direct.
"The Butterfly," by Mrs. Sigourney, contains. a beautiful
thought :
A butterfly basked on a baby's grave,
Where a lily had chanced to grow:
"Why art thou here, with thy gaudy dye.
When she of the blue and sparkling eye.
Must sleep in the church yard low?"
Then it lightly soar'd through the sunny air.
And spoke from its shining track:
"I was a worm till I won my wings.
And she whom thou mourn'st like a seraph sings:
Wouldst thou call the bless'd one back?"
Hamilton Gibson says:
It was a day in early June, and nature was bursting with exuberance.
The very earth was teeming with awakened germs — ^here an acorn, with
its biformed hungry germ — ^parody on the dual mission of mortal life —
one seeking earth, the other heaven; here an odd little elf of maple,
with his winged cap still clinging as he danced upon his slender stem;
while numerous nameless green things clove the sod^ and matted leaves
and slender coils of ferns unrolled in eager grasp from their woolly
winter nest.
But dear to my heart as were these familiar tokens, how quickly
were they all forgotten in my contemplation simply of a little stone
that lay upon a patch of mould directly at my elbow, and my wonder-
ing eyes were riveted upon it, for it seemed as though in the universal
quickening even this also haa taken life.
I can see it this moment. It moves again^ and yet again, until
now, with a final effort, it is lifted from its setting and rolled away,
while in its place there protrudes from the ground a chrysalis risen
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62 NATURE STUDY
from its sepulchre. Filled with wonder, I sit and watch as though in
a dream, awaiting the revelation from this mysterious earthly messen-
ger, when suddenly the encasement swells and breaks, the cerements
are burst, and the strange shape gives birth to the form of a beautiful
moth — ^a tender, trembling thing, which emerges from the empty shell
and creeps quivering upon an overhanging spray.
Now followed that beautiful and wondrous unfolding of the winged
life — the softly-falling crumpled folds, the quivering pulsations of the
new born wings eager for their flight, until at length their glory shone
in purity and perfection — a trial flutter, and the perfect being took wings
and flew away. * ♦ ♦ ♦
From Highways and Byways. Copyrighted in 1882 by Harper and Brothers.
A LITTLE POET
Out in the garden, wee Elsie
Was gathering flowers for me;
"O, mamma," she cried, "hurry, hurry.
Here's something I want you to see."
I went to the window. Before her
A velvet winged butterfly flew.
And the pansies themselves were not brighter
Than the beautiful creature in hue.
"O, isn't it pretty?" cried Elsie,
With eager and wondering eyes.
As she watched it soar lazily upward
Against the soft blue of the skies.
"I know what it is, don't you, mamma?"
Oh, the wisdom of these little things
When the soul of a poet is in them,
"It's a Pansy— a Pansy with wings."
—Eben E. Rexford, in Pri. Education.
THE MILKWEED
Purpose of the Work.— To call attention to the way seeds
are protected.
To emphasize the necessity for seed distribution.
Center study of seed dispersal about the Milkweed and the
Dandelion.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 68
Preparation. — ^Talk with pupils about animals moving from
place to place at will. How do the birds manage to see so
many different places and people? The spiders have no wings,
how do they change their homes? Some of the children will
know that the spiders spin a long, silken web, accept the
services of the wind and start on their journey. Let them
suggest names of different animals that have power to flee
from danger or go in search of food when occasion de-
mands. Qiildren, name other things around us besides ani-
mals that are useful and beautiful. Flowers, trees, grasses and
grains will, no doubt, be suggested.
Field Lesson.— Take pupils out doors to see the milkweed.
Give children something definite to look for. Find a milk-
weed in blossom. One with green or brown pods. Why called
milkweed? What kind of soil does it like? Name the
flowers and trees growing the MILKWEED CASE
near. Call children together, cover and ca«e locked cIom together.
talk over their discoveries, FiuedwithacurioiwkindoffeftUier,
, open thebox, you'll need no key,
and correct mistakes m the OhI pretty green case did you grow for me?
presence of the growing T^^^'^l**'^*'*?^'^^/?*^^
"^ o o J ninst make my dolly a feather bed,
plants. Pull up a large And here ia the softest fluffiest stuff,
plant and account for the Snky and white and plenty enough.
spongy appearance of the roots with ripe seeds. The milky
appearance of the roots and ,stems in plants with unripe seeds.
Call attention to the shape, number, and arrangement of leaves
on the stem. Examine flowers.
Children open a seed cradle and notice how beautifully the
seeds are arranged. Examine the lining and the outside cover-
ing. They will discover the delicate, smooth lining next to the
seeds, and the tough, firm outside coat.
Place special stress upon protection at this stage of the work.
Direct attention to the position of the pods near the top of the
stems, the firm ridge along the middle of the pod, and the
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64 NATURE STUDY
spring that enables the little brown cradle to rock in the
breeze.
Lead children to think of the baby milkweed plant wrapped
up in each seed. Watch the seeds flying in all directions in
search of a home. Some may travel on the "wings of the
wind" to the end of their journey, some may be carried far
away by beautiful birds, others may find a place to grow near
their own brown cradle. Dig up two or three milkweeds in
different stages of development and plant near the school so
that children may have a chance to see the flowers withering,
pods forming, green pods turning brown, and the seed cradles
opening.
Again direct attention to the work of the growing milk-
weeds. Lead children to think of the dependence and inter-
dependence of the different parts of the plants, — ^root, stem,
leaves, flowers; discuss the work of each; all parts working to
produce seeds. Seeds must be very precious.
Let a pupil open a ripe pod and crowd the seeds into a glass
jar, so that the class may see how many seeds were packed
in this little house. Estimate the number of seeds growing on
a single milkweed. Suppose the seeds fell from the cradles
and settled down near the plant on which they grew. Recall
experiments with morning-glory and other flowers, in which
children discovered that growing plants must have food, heat,
moisture, and light, and they will readily see that the crowded
seedlings would have too great a struggle for food and sun-
shine, — for life. Think of the thousands of little rootlets
searching for food in one direction for a time and then in
another, only to meet hosts of hungry, little workers like
themselves. C3iildren will understand that when the seeds are
alike the struggle is greater than when they are different
When they are alike all need the same kind of nourishment
and sometimes the parent plant takes so much food from the
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FALL NATURE STUDY 66
soil in which it grows that it is impossible for the seedlings to
get a foothold. itw««dy.mtie,^t.
Hang a number of pods Batonitdldshlactlicnin,
where children can watch them HSlfS^'uS'.^^lJl^nr.'^'
Opening and the seeds flying it wmsoaiyaiitue plant;
away. How eager they seem rtil'^rSS^TueT-i.tu.t
to get out of the old homel Eart!iclan>editto!i«rlieart
Why are the seeds provided -m. j.savaob.
with sails ? In order to fly away to a spot that is not occupied
by some other plant. The wind is a good friend to the seeds
with sails or wings. Why?
Lead children to compare the milkweed with the dandelion.
Home ; characteristics ; work of root, stem, leaves, and flowers ;
structure; how seeds are protected; number of seeds; how
scattered ; uses ; draw plants.
Let children make a collection of seeds and fruits.
How are seeds protected? (Burrs, shells, flesh, etc.)
Some of nature's devices for the dispersal of seeds and fruits.
Sails— dandelion, milkweed, catVtail, thistle. Springs —
touch-me-not.
Hooks — ^burdocks, stick-tights. Wings — maple, linden.
How Scattered. — ^Wind, water, and animals; man scatters
more seeds than all other agencies combined ; he is constantly
baying and selling plants and seeds.
Make a collection of edible seeds. Wheat, oats, corn, peas,
nuts, etc.
Children, tell how the blue-jays and squirrels distribute seeds.
Let pupils group seeds that have pods. Catalpa, beans, pep-
per, etc. Which has the prettiest color and shape? Which
grow on trees? Which contains the greatest number of seeds?
What becomes of all the seeds that ripen every year? Do you
think all the seeds not used for food will be likely to fall upon
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66 NATURE STUDY
good soil ? The earth would be overrun with plants if even a
small per cent of all the seeds that ripen grew.
Children, collect seeds to plant next spring.
MILKWEED BABIES
Dainty milkweed babies, wrapped in cradles green.
Rocked by Mother Nature, fed by hands unseen.
Brown coats have the darlings, slips of milky white,
And wings— but that's a secret, — ^thcy're folded out of sight
The cradles grow so narrow, what will the babies do?
They'll' only grow the faster, and look up toward the blue.
And now the3r've found the secret, they're flying through the air.
They've left the cradles empty,— do milkweed babies care?
— Eleanor Smith's Songs for Little Children, No. a.
By permission Milton Bradley Co.
THE WIND PRINCESS
Little Ben Lee had a pretty flower bed in his mother's garden. AM
the long summer he had cared for it, never once seeing the fairy Wind
Princess, who often stood by his side, she too helping the plants to
grow and blossom.
One day in the late fall this fairy whispered to the flowers, "It has
grown so cold I will ask the North Wind to bring you a fluffy blanket
of white to keep you warm through the cold winter," and away she
went in her magic car to the North Wind's home.
He lived high up among the snow mountains with his father. Ice
King, in a wonderful crystal palace. It was hung with dainty curtains
of frost work made by the roguish Jack Frost himself, and the walls
and towers were painted in beautiful rainbows whenever the sunshine
came to visit it
Soon the flowers heard the great North Wind coming, and sure
enough he brought with him the soft snow blanket that helped them
to sleep safe and warm until spring time.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 67
After many months the sleepy blossoms heard the Wind Princess
whisper to them, "I will ask the South Wind to come with its warm
breath, and help the sun to take away your winter covering so you may
see the garden and the sky." Then off she drove in her magic car to
the South Wind's Home. This wind lived with the lovely Flora in an
arbor of flowers and vines in the midst of a wonderful garden. The
air was laden with perfume, and the birds sang there all the day long.
Soon the flowers felt the breath of the gentle South Wind and knew
the snow mantle had gone from their bed, and they opened their sweet
eyes.
After a few days the Fairy Princess came again, this time to tell
them she was going to bring the East Wind to visit them, for she saw
how the velvet blossoms needed some warm rain drops.
So early next morning, the kind Princess flew to the eastern home
where Aurora lives, to ask the East Wind's help to send rain to the
garden bed. Oh! how beautiful the palace of the dawn looked I With
its walls and domes and columns all of shining silver, and its entrance
hung with rosy cloud curtains, pinned back by a silver star.
As the East Wind hurried the rain drops down to the waiting plants,
they bowed their heads as if in thanksgiving for the refreshing shower.
Just at night, one rainy day, the flowers saw the Princess of the
Wmds driving her car as fast as she could to the golden palace of the
West Wind, and they said among themselves: "The dear Princess has
gone to ask West Wind to blow away the clouds that we may have a
fair day to-morrow/'
The rain ceased soon after the Princess reached the sunset palace on
her errand of love. The queen of this gorgeous home drew aside the
cortain of crimson and gold and stood at the entrance of the palace to
receive her royal guest
''Oh! what a grand sunset," cried little Ben Lee, as he looked toward
the west that evening, but he never guessed who stood In the cloud
palace asking the kind West Wind to come next day and help his
plants to grow; he only knew that God loved flowers and birds and
little children, and in His own wise way helped them to live and make
the world more beautiful.
^SOFBIA S. BlXBY.
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68 NATURE STUDY
Children memorize:
SEVEN TIMES ONE
There's no dew left on the daisies and clover.
There's no rain left in heaven;
Fve said my "seven times" over and over.
Seven times one are seven.
I am old^ so old, I can write a letter.
My birthday lessons are done;
The lambs play always, they know no better;
They are only one times one.
Moon! in the night I have seen you sailing
And shining so round and low;
You were bright! ah, bright! but your light is failing —
You are nothing now but a bow.
You Moon, have you done something wrong in heaven
That God has hidden your face?
1 hope if you have, you will soon be forgiven.
And shine again in your place.
O velvet Bee, you're a dusty fellow.
You've powdered your legs with gold!
O brave Marsh-Marybuds, rich and yellow.
Give me your money to hold!
O Columbine, open your folded wrapper
Where two twin turtle-doves dwell!
Cuckoo-pint, toll me the purple clapper
That hangs in your clear green bell!
And show me your nest with the young ones In it;
I will not steal them away;
1 am old! you may trust me, linnet, linnet^
I am seven times one to-day.
--Jean Ingblow.
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THE POPPY
Direct attention to the poppy. Give questions to be an-
swered by studying the plants in the garden. Bring a whole
plant to the school-room and compare it with one or two
flowers previously studied — nasturtium, pansy, etc.
Celia Thaxter's exquisite poem will help to impress the
beauty and the mystery of a seed.
In ''An Island Garden" she says: Of all the wonderful
things in the wonderful universe of God, nothing seems to me
more surprising than the planting of a seed in the black earth
and the result thereof. Take a poppy seed, for instance: It
lies in your palm, the merest atom of matter, hardly visible, a
speck, a pin's point in bulk, but within it is imprisoned a spirit
of beauty ineffable, which will break its bonds and emerge
from the dark ground in a splendor so dazzling as to bafHe
all powers of description.
POEM FOR READING AND DISCUSSION
A POPPY SEED
A poppy seed in your hand I lay!
You hardly see it! "Does anything hide
In that wee atom of dust?" you say.
Yes, wonderful glory is folded inside!
Robes; my dear, that are fit for kings;
Scarlet splendor that dazzles the eyes;
BndSy flowers, leaves, stalks, — so many things!
You look in my face with doubting surprise.
You ask, "Is it really, truly true?"
No fairy story at all this time!
Don't you remember the poppy that grew
At the foot of the trellis, where sweet peas climb?
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TO NATURE STUDY
Last summer, close to the doorstep, where
You and I loved to sit in the sun
And see the butterflies float in the air
When the long bright day was almost done?
Don't you remember what Joy we had.
Watching the poppy grow high and higher.
In its lovely gray-green garments clad.
Till the buds one evening showed streaks of red?
Then the flowers, like banners of silken flame
Unfurled, stood each on its slender stem.
While the soft breeze over them went and came
Lightly and tenderly rocking them.
You haven't forgotten! I was sure of it! Well
All that perfection of shape and hue,
That wreath of beauty no tongue can tell,
Lies hid in this seed I have given to you.
Just such a speck in the friendly ground
I planted last May by the doorstep wide;
The self-same marvel that then we found.
This atom of dust holds shut inside.
You can't believe it? But all are there, —
Leaves, roots, flowers, stalks, color, and glow,
Tell me a story that can compare
With this for a wonder, if any you know.
— Celia Thaxtbr.
Children, save poppy seeds to plant next spring so that they
may see what the writer has pictured.
GENTIANS
Flowers large ana handsome.
Fringed Gentian. — Corolla a rich blue, with beautifully
fringed lobes. Flowers single, on a naked stalk.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 71
Closed Gentian.— Flowers in clusters. Corolla blue; five
fringe-toothed plaits.
The "Fringed Gentian" is a great favorite with poets and
artists. Compare the gentian with the aster and the golden-
rod.
Commit :
THE BLUE GENTIAN
"Oh! gentian I have found you out
And you must tell me true;
See« I'll put my ear close down.
Where did you get your blue!"
''I found it^ little one, here and there,
It was ready made for me;
Some in your eyes, 'and somo in the skies
And some in the dark blue sea."
''And where did you get that love fringe.
Gentian, that you wear?"
"I caught a hint from your dark eyelash
And one from your curling hair."
"And why do you stand so straight and tall
When they say that you are wild?"
"Oh! that I learned in a different way
And not from any child."
— Sblbctsd.
Study Bryant's poem, "The Gentian "
LEGEND OF THE GENTIAN
The closed Gentian never opens. The Fringed Gentian closes before
dark. This is the story that accounts for the difference in the flowers.
Once upon a time the Queen of the Fairies was out very late. In-
deed, it was midnight and the silvery moon had disappeared. The fairy
hurried to a Gentian and asked for shelter. The sleepy Gentian said,
"How dare you disturb me at this late hour. Find shelter wherever
you can." ''I am the Queen of the Fairies," said the poor frightened
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little one. "I do not care for queens or kings/' said the Gentian, "I
cannot help you." The Fairy Queen hurried away to another Gentian
and begged for a resting place. "Dear little friend/' she said, "I shall
be happy to shelter you until the sun appears." The Queen slept sound-
ly until nearly dawn and then disappeared. Before going she said,
''Dear Gentian, in future you and all your children shall have power to
open and receive the light."
^Adapted.
Make a special study of this poem :
FLOWERS
Spake full well, in language quaint and olden.
One who dwelleth by the castled Rhine,
When he called the flowers, so blue and golden.
Stars, that in earth's firmament do shine.
Stars they are, wherein we read our history.
As astrologers and seers of old;
Yet not wrapped about with awful mystery.
Like the burning stars, which they beheld.
Wondrous truths, and manifold as wondrous.
God hath written in those stars above;
But not less in the bright fiowrets under us
Stands the revelation of His love.
Bright and glorious is that revelation.
Written all over this great world of ours;
Making evident our own creation.
In these stars of earth, these golden flowers.
Everywhere about us are they glowing.
Some like stars, to tell us Spring is born;
Others, their blue eyes with tears o'erflowing.
Stand like Ruth amid the golden corn;
Not alone in Spring's armorial bearing.
And in summer's green-emblazoned field.
But in arms of brave old Autumn's wearing.
In the center of his brazen shield;
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FALL NATURE STUDY 7S
Not alone in meadows and green alleys,
On the mountain top, and by the brink
Of sequestered pools in woodland valleys,
Where the slaves of nature stoop to drink;
Not alone in her vast dome of glory.
Not on graves of bird and beast alone.
But in old cathedrals, high and hoary,
On the tombs of heroes, carved in stone;
In the cottage of the rudest peasant,
In ancestral homes, whose crumbling towers,
Speaking of the Past unto the Present,
Tell us of the ancient Games of Flowers.
—Longfellow.
TREES
Aim.— -To lead children to appreciate and love the trees.
Trees are of universal importance and interest; they exert
a refining influence of Un- ..how beautiful ,oi..r«,g,.en tree, i • • •
told value and are gener- H^wnobly beautiful I Hereyettand,
allv available for Studv in Your mo»-grownpooU by hidden moisture fed.
any avauaDie lOr Stuay in j^^^ ^^ ^^^ towering head* the dews that faU
every locality. W^e are Prom God's right hand. Methinks an angel's
indebted to them in num- Fioatoo^er your arch of Terdure. glorious trees!
berless ways for many of Luring the soui above."
the comforts and luxuries
of life. The varied forms and colors have a great attraction
for children and they should be taught to know and to love
the trees.
Froebel declares that no more perfect representation of
organic life and the mutual relation of its parts can be found
in nature than a tree.
Irving says, "There is something nobly simple and pure in
a taste for the cultivation of forest trees. It argues, I think,
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74 NATURE STUDY
a sweet and generous nature to have this strong relish for the
beauties of vegetation and this friendship for the hardy and
glorious sons of the forest. He who plants a tree looks for-
ward to future ages, and plants for posterity. Nothing could
be less selfish than this."
The very best gifts of God are so common, we do not half
appreciate their worth. The ^fc„,„,toth.fo«.ti
poet Holmes speaks of the Bach brecse a menage brings,—
'<4-«-AAo U^\A\*^r^ 4-U^l^ ^^^^^ "Be brave," from 0»k» and Cedara,
trees holding their green ..iook„p,'.thePtoet«ering^
sunshades over our heads, "oh, earth ufiOr," the aim c«ii«.
talking to us with their hun- ^^'i^^tSe'SA'X^.
dred thousand whispering AUchorui, "Oodisiove."
tongues." Take the chil- ~ai.icbai.lbi.
dren "forth amid the breeze-swept trees and learn their
language."
Impress the fact that the trees are living things and have
important work to do. What? Why? Let children find a
good tree for a swing. A tree that has food for the squirrels
and birds. What is its name? How many of its neighbors
are we acquainted with ? Which one begins to branch lowest
down ? Which one has the smoothest bark ? Find a tree with
a bird's nest. Find seedlings growing.
Teacher, picture the life of one of the tall trees. It was
once a small seed; the parent tree sent it down to the earth
to begin its life work ; the warm FOREST SONG
sun visited the spot where it
A song for the beautiful trees,
lay hidden and it began to in- a song for the forest grand,
crease in size and strength, and The pride of His centuries,
. " The garden of God's own hand,
year by year it became more Hurnhforthekingiyoak,
deeply rooted and its leafy IJ*?*!f^v^'^°"*'?;^'^^
'^ "l * , * , The lords of the emerald cloak,
boughs Stretched farther and The ladies in living green.
farther from the trunk. The -w. h. vrnabum.
birds and the flowers sent sweet messages of good will and the
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FALL NATURE STUDY 76
grand old trees whispered, "Grow, grow."
At this time the great aim is to arouse interest and lead
children to go to the trees for answers to the questions asked
from day to day. Inspiration and information should go
hand-in-hand. Let children tell what they know about the
uses of trees, — fruit, fuel, lumber, medicine, etc. In addition
to the endless number of uses, their beauty alone would war-
rant us in cultivating, protecting and loving them. Addison
says: "There is something unspeakably cheerful in a spot of
ground which is covered with trees, that smiles amid all the
rigors of winter, and gives us a view of the most gay season
in the midst of that which is the most dead and melancholy."
THE AMERICAN ELM
Children, select a typical Elm for continuous study through-
out the year and (contrast it with the maple.
Field Lesson. — ^Visit the tree with pupils and lead them to
discover some of its characteristics, — height, shape of head,
appearance of trunk, etc. Lead children to talk about its life,
its work, and its helpers, — sun, rain, and soil. Emphasize de-
pendence and interdependence.
Imagine some of its probable experiences during its life
time. The birds that have built and sung in its branches ; the
squirrels, insects and other visitors it has sheltered ; the many
seeds it has sent into the world to grow tall and majestic like
itself. Tell children we came to the tree to discover the rea-
sons why the elm is so well liked, by people in the cities as
well as in the country.
By studying the head of the tree they will discover why it
is a great favorite as a shade tree. The arching character of
the branches and the drooping, lace-like twigs give the tree a
very graceful appearance and has won for it universal admira-
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76 NATURE STUDY
tion as a shade tree. Teacher, read for children "The Wonder-
ful One Horse Shay." The toughness of the wood is immor-
talized by this poem. The branches bend but rarely break in
a wind-storm. The wood is valuable for wheel-hubs, yokes
and cabinet work. Orioles' nests are often found in its
branches.
Historic Ehns.— The Treaty of Wm. Penn was made be-
neath the shade of an elm in Philadelphia. Washington took
command of the American Army at Cambridge, Mass., under
an elm. The Burgoyne Elm at Albany, N. Y., was planted the
day Burgoyne was brought to Albany a prisoner. The Liberty
Elm stood on Boston Common until within a few years ago.
To know a tree is not merely to know its name, but rather
to know ifs distinguishing features, its needs, its work, its
rank, its mission.
Ebemies.— The canker-worm and the black caterpillar are
among its worst enemies.
Call attention to the difference in shape of elms growing in
open places and those growing where they are crowded.
Children should visit the favorite tree very often ; watch its
leaves change color and disappear in autumn; observe and
sketch the tree after the leaves have fallen; examine it when
it is in blossom, also when the fruit is maturing; watch the
development of buds and leaves and the changes in color of
foliage from month to month ; in a word, study its life history
all through the year.
Develop the following facts by questioning as far as pos-
sible. Elm — dome, umbrella or vase-shaped; the bark, dark
gray and rough, and the wood reddish brown, strong, and
tough.
The elm branches are arching, drooping, and graceful, with
fine, delicate spray and small shiny buds.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 77
The leaves are simple, medium sized, rough, alternate ar-
rangement, with short petioles, and deep green in color.
The flowers are tiny, brownish yellow or reddish clusters,
which develop into samaras, winged fruit.
It is highly prized as a
city shade tree except where SPRING HAS COME
soft coal is constantly used. The elms have robed their lender tpimy
rp, A. J.' t A. J.I. 1^ With full-blown flower and embryo leal*
Ihe soot Sticks to the rough wide o'er the clasping arch of day
leaves and after a time in- SoanUke a doad their hoary chief.
jures the tree.
Consider the space required for the branching of the elm
and decide how far apart the trees should be planted.
THE OAK
Aim. — ^To discover the character and the uses of the tree.
The majestic beauty and strength of the oak make it the
glory of the forest; and in all ages, among all people, it has
been looked upon with
Tx * t "This miffhty oak
reverence. It is famous Bywhoseimmovableftemlatand and seem
alike in poetry and prose. Almost annihilated— not a prince
rpi.. . T» J.9 J. 't^ J, In aU the grand old world beyond the deep,
This IS Bryant S tribute,— B.crworehUcrowna.loftilya.he
This monarch may be wears the green coronal of leaves with which
. .^ - ^ ^. .^, Thy hand has graced him.**
Visited at any time with-
out the least ceremony, and if approached with a teachable
spirit, his individuality must leave its impress upon the char-
acter. Everything about the oak suggests benevolence, power,
and concentration, — ^the gnarled root, the rugged bark of the
trunk, the hard, durable wood, and the firm, tough leaves.
If there is an oak growing near your school by all means
induce pupils to make friends with it and learn to admire its
noble qualities. Tell children that the oak with its broad base
and curving trunk suggested to a thoughtful man across the
ocean the best model for the Eddystone Light-house, which
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78 NATURE STUDY
has battled with the storms and tempests for nearly one hun-
dred and fifty years, and to-day stands firm as a rock.
Direct attention to the sturdy appearance of the tree, —
shorty broad trunk ; low, gnarled, outstretched branches, each
one resembling a tree. The oak sends a strong tap root
deep into the CTOund, while
*^ . , ,. '. . *'ChUdren, have yon seen the budding
Its Wlde-Spreadmg, horizontal Ofthetrecslnvalleyslow?
roots remain nearer the SUr- Have you watched it creeping, creeping
up the nottutaiii soft and slow ?
face. When you visit him in* Weavlngthere a plush-llke mantle,
the spring and see nearly BrownUh, grayish, reddish, green.
11 1 . . n , 1 , . Changing, changing, daily, hourly,
all his neighbors decked in xm it smUesin emerald sheen?"
green, you may think that -motmr truth's mbm>di«.
he has been forgotten. Watch daily and you will see that
Mother Nature has a very beautiful crown for her forest king.
The oak has hundreds of years to live and can afford to wait
longer for his "green coronal of leaves" than his short lived
neighbors.
Let children tie a string around an acorn, hang it in a bottle
of water and watch the beginning of an oak.
Plant in window-box and find out how the growing end is
protected from injury while pushing up through the soil.
Try to find an acorn with two kernels; find two or three
young oaks coming up together and see if they belong to one
acorn.
Compare germination of oak and maple.
Visit in imagination a tan-yard; a forest of cork oaks in
Spain.
Study the beginnings of galls on the trees in May. It is
estimated, that about fifteen hundred insects make their homes
in the oak.
Compare the oak with the pine.
The oak bears two kinds of flowers on the same tree. The
staminate flowers groW in catkins. The pistillate flowers rc-
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FALL NATURE STUDY 79
semble tiny pink balls. The pistil becomes the nut of the
acorn. Some oaks drop their acorns at the end of about six
months (annual fruited) ; others wait for a year and a half
(biennial fruited).
There are perhaps three hundred kinds of oak in the world.
Much of the beautiful carving, which is seen in the great
cathedrals in Europe, is on oak wood.
The Greeks believed it was the first tree that grew upon
earth.
A chaplet of oak leaves was the highest honor that could be
given to a Roman soldier.
There are oaks in England that are known to be over a
thousand years old.
The Round Table of King Arthur at Winchester is a cross
section of an old oak eighteen feet in diameter.
The Charter Oak is the
^ p . . The monareli oak, the patriarch of trees,
most famous American shoot, rising up, and spreads by slow degrees;
oak. AVhy ? Three centuries he grows, and three he stays
* f ^. . .Supreme in state, and in three more decays.'*
Sum Up uses of the oak.
Acorn, important article of food in parts of Asia.
Bark used for tanning and dyeing.
Wood unsurpassed for durability and strength.
THE LAST DREAM OF THE OLD OAK
In the forest^ high up on the steep shore, and not far from the open
sea-coast, stood a very old oak tree. It was just three hundred and
sixty-five years old, but that long time was to the tree as the same
number of days might be to us; we wake by day and sleep by night,
and then we have our dreams. It is different with the tree; it is ob-
liged to keep awake through three seasons of the year and does not
get any sleep till winter comes. Winter is its time for rest; its night
after the long day of spring, summer and autumn.
The oak remained awake through the morning of springy the noon
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80 NATURE STUDY
of summer, and the evening of autumn; its time of rest, its night,
drew nigh— winter was coming. Already the storms were singing,
''Good-night, good night." Here fell a leaf and there fell a leaf. "We
will rock you and lull you. Go to sleep, go to sleep. We will sing
you to sleep^ and shake you to sleep, and it will do your old twigs
good; they will even crackle with pleasure. Sleep sweetly, sleep sweetly,
it is your three-hundred-and-sixty-fifth night. Correctly speaking, you
are but a youngster in the world. Sleep sweetly; the clouds will drop
snow upon you, which will be quite a coverlid^ warm and sheltering to
your feet. Sweet sleep to you and pleasant dreams."
And there stood the oak, stripped of all its leaves, left to rest during
the whole of a long winter, and to dream many dreams of events that
happened in its life^ as in the dreams of men.
The great tree had once been small; indeed, in its cradle it had
been an acorn. According to human computation, it was now in the
fourth century of its existence. It was the largest and best tree in the
forest. Its summit towered above all the other trees, and could be seen
far out at sea, so that it served as a landmark to the sailors. It had
no idea how many eyes looked eagerly for it. In the topmost branches
the wood-pigeon built her nest, and the cuckoo carried out his usual
vocal performance, and his well-known notes echoed amid the boughs;
and in autumn, when the leaves looked like beaten copper plates, the
birds of passage would come and rest upon the branches before taking
their flight across the sea.
But now it was winter, the tree stood leafless, so that every one
could see how crooked and bent were the branches that sprang forth
from the trunk. Crows and rooks came by turns and sat on them,
and talked of the hard times which were beginning, and how difficult
it was in winter to obtain food.
tHE DREAM
It was just about holy Christmas time that the tree dreamed a
dream. The tree had, doubtless, a kind of feeling that the festive
time had arrived, and in his dream fancied he heard the bells ring^ing
from all the churches round, and yet it seemed to him to be a beauti-
ful summer's day, mild and warm. His mighty summit was crowned
with spreading fresh green foliage; the sunbeams played among the
leaves and branches, and the air was full of fragrance from herb and
blossom; painted butterflies chased each other; the summer flies danced
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FALL NATURE STUDY 81
arottnd him, as if the world had been created merely for them to dance
and be merry in. All that had happened to the tree during every year
of his life seemed to pass before him as if in a festive procession.
The wood-pigeons cooed as if to explain the feelings of the tree,
and the cuckoo called out to tell him how many summer days he had
yet to live. Then it seemed as if new life was thrilling through every
fibre of root and stem and leaf, rising even to the highest branches.
The tree felt itself stretching and spreading out, while through the root
beneath the earth ran the warm vigor of life. As he grew higher and
still higher, with increased strength, his topmost boughs became
broader and fuller; and in proportion to this growth so was his self-
satisfaction increased, and with it arose a joyogs longing to grow
higher and higher, to reach even to the warm, bright sun itself.
Already had his topmost branches pierced the clouds, which floated
beneath them like troops of birds of passage, or large white swans;
every leaf seemed gifted with sight, as if it possessed eyes to see. The
stars became visible in broad daylight, large and sparkling, like clear
and gentle eyes.
These were wonderful and happy moments for the old tree, full of
peace and joy; and yet amidst all this happiness, the tree felt a yearn-
ing, longing desire that all the other trees, bushes, herbs, and flowers
beneath him» might be able also to rise higher, as he had done, and
to see all this splendor, and experience the same happiness. The grand,
majestic oak could not be quite happy in the midst of his enjoyment,
while all the rest, both great and small, were not with him. And this
feeling of yearning trembled through every branch, through every leaf,
as warmly and fervently as if they had been the fibres of a human heart.
The summit of the tree waved to and fro, and bent downwards as
if in his silent longing he sought for something. Then there came to
him the fragrance of thyme, followed by the more powerful scent of
honeysuckle and violets; then he fancied he heard the note of the
cuckoo.
CAUSE OF HAPPINESS
At length his longing was satisfied. Up through the clouds came
the green summits of the forest trees, and beneath him, the oak saw
them rising, and growing higher and higher. Every native of the
wood, even to the brown and feathery rushes, grew with the rest, while
the birds ascended with the melody of song. May beetles hummed.
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8J NATURE STUDY
bees murmured, birds sang, each in its own way; the air was filled with
the sounds of song and gladness.
"But where is the little blue flower that grows by the water?" asked
the oak, "and the purple bell-flower, and the daisy? I want them all."
"Here we are, here we are," sounded in voice and song.
"But the beautiful thyme of last summer, where is that? and the
lilies-of-the-valley, which last year covered the earth with their bloom?
and the wild apple tree with its lovely blossoms, and all the glory of
the wood, which has flourished year after year?"
"We are here, we are here," sounded voices higher in the air, as if
they had flown there beforehand.
"Why, this is beautiful, too beautiful to be believed," cried the oak
in a joyful tone. "I have them all here, both great and small; not one
has been forgotten. Can such happiness be imagined?" It seemed
almost impossible.
"In heaven with the Eternal God, it can be imagined, for all things
' are possible," sounded the reply through the air.
And the old tree, as it still grew upwards and onwards, felt that
his roots were loosening themselves from the earth.
"It is right so, it is best," said the tree, "no fetters hold me now.
I can fly up to the very highest point in light and glory. And all I
love are with me, both small and great. All — all are here."
Such was the dream of the old oak: and while he dreamed, a mighty
storm came rushing over land and sea, at the holy Christmas time.
The sea rolled in great billows towards the shore.
There was a cracking and crushing heard in the tree. The root torn
from the ground just at the moment when in his dream he fancied it
was being loosened from the earth. He fell — ^his three-hundred and
sixty-five years were passed.
On the morning of Christmas day, when the sun rose, the storm
had ceased. From all the churches sounded the festive bells, and from
every hearth, even of the smallest hut, rose the smoke into the blue
sky. The sea gradually became calm, and on board a great ship that
had withstood the tempest during the night, all the flags were displayed,
as a token of joy and festivity.
"The tree is down! The old oak — our landmark on the coast!" ex-
claimed the sailors. "It must have fallen in the storm of last night.
Who can replace it? Alas! no one!" This was a funeral oration over
the old tree; short but well meant.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 88
There it lay stretched on the snow-covered shore, and over it
sounded the notes of a song from the ship — a song of Christmas joy,
and every one on board the ship felt his thoughts elevated, through
the song and prayer, even as the old tree had felt lifted up in its last,
its beautiful dream on that Christmas mom.
—Hans Anderson.
THE GRAVE IN THE FOREST
"A great tree fell in the forest.
With a crashing, thunderous sound.
Slowly and terribly stretching
His ponderous length on the ground.
And lay at the feet of his brothers
Mangled and dead,
Just as a mighty giant
Would pillow his head.
— SSLSCTBD.
THE OAK
"Sing for the oak tree, the monarch of the wood.
Sing for the oak tree, that groweth green and good!
That groweth broad and branching within the forest shade;
That groweth now, and still shall grow when we are lowly laid.
The oak tree was an acorn once, and fell upon the earth;
And sun and shower nourished it, and gave the oak tree birth;
For centuries grows the oak tree, nor does its verdure fail;
Its heart is like the iron wood, its bark like plaited mail.
—Selected.
TREE LEGENDS
There are stories enough, beautiful little stories, too, about the trees
to fill a whole book, and to enable you to entertain your friends in
the woods for days and days.
The Ash tree, as well as certain other trees, was believed to be
weather-wise. You people say now, "See the leaves of the Poplar
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84 NATURE STUDY
turning their silver side up. It must be going to rain." The Bay tree
was supposed to be a protection from lightning. The Willow was an
emblem of sadness. * * * But what about the Aspen tree? A Ger-
man legend tells us that when Joseph and Mary were fleeing with the
infant Jesus, they entered a very dense forest.
As soon as they were beneath the shelter of the forest, the trees all
bowed their heads in reverence to the Divine Child. All except the
Aspen, that lifted its head only a little higher, refusing to pay homage
to an3rthing on earth.
Then Christ cast one sad reproachful look upon this tree, so fuU
of sorrow and reproof, that it pierced straight to its very heart And
lo! it began to tremble and has never for one moment ceased in all
these centuries.
— Fairyland of Flowers.
Do you know how oddly the boughs of the Lombardy Poplar grow?
Straight up in the air; making the tree look, as some one has said, for
all the world, like an umbrella turned inside out by a gale. Of course,
in the Legend world there must be a reason for this. Here it is. Some
one had stolen the pot of gold which is said to be at the end of the
rainbow.
The Wind messengers were sent to search for it. The £lm« the
Oak, the Pine, all the trees had been asked if they knew the thieL All
pointed their leaves toward the Poplar, saying, "The Poplar knows!
the Poplar knows!"
"I know?" said the Poplar, raising its branches in pretended sur-
prise. "Why, how should I know?"
But just then the pot of gold was seen shining through the leaves.
The Wind messengers at once seized upon the gold, and as a punish-
ment, the Poplar was doomed to hold its arms in just that position
forever, as a warning to all other trees to be honest
It seems rather a pity to tell such a story of so beautiful a tree.
But it doesn't hurt the tree
after all; and as nobody be- **AU my Master's works are fitir, no flaw in them
lieves it, no harm is done, and **"^"*, ^ , .. ,
jf .t. .* 1. And yet the dear trees best of aU I love to see,
we are amused for the time by j ween. '*
the story.
Stories told of us, if they are not true, do us little harm; for like
spatters of mud, they will come off when they're dry.
— Fairyland of Flowers.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 86
FALL LEAVES
Beauty of Leaves.— The beauty of color and texture com-
bined with the endless variety of leaf forms cannot fail to
prove a constant source of wonder and delight to the children
daring this season of bright, blue weather. Thoreau says,
"October is the month of painted leaves. Their rich glow now flashes
rottnd the world. As fruit and leaves, and the day itself acquire a bright
tmt just before they fall, so the year near its setting. October is its
sunset sky. November the later twilight"
There are stupendous questions even in leaves^ questions yet un-
answered in opening buds, questions that glisten in the air on plumy
seeds, riddles in rainbow colors imprisoned in a petal, and an endless
catechism hangs on many a fragile stem.
--Gibson Highways,
It is desirable to center observation chiefly upon one or two
trees, as the maple and the oak. Visit trees with pupils and
impress the fact that the beauty of the leaves is scarcely
equalled by their use.
Encourage children to collect and press leaves for the deco-
ration of the school-room. Group trees dressed in red and
yellow, crimson, purple and green.
Notice which trees change color first, which send their
leaves to the earth first. Some day when the leaves are
whiriing down read "October's Party," or "How the Leaves
Came Down."
Let pupils sketch leaves related to the branches and fruit,
as oak branch with leaves and acorns, pine branch with needles
and cones.
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86 NATURE STUDY
BEFORE THE LEAVES FALL
I wonder if oak and maple.
lAHllow and elm and all.
Are stirred at heart by the coming
Of the day their leaves most fall.
Do they think of the yellow whirlwind!.
Or know of the crimson spray,
That shall be when chill November
Bears all their leaves away?
Perhaps— beside the water
The willow bends, serene
As when her young leaves glistened
In a mist of golden green;
But the brave old oak is flushing
To a wine-red^ dark and deep,
And maple and elm are blushing
The blush of a child asleep.
"If die we must," the leaflets
Seem one by one to say;
"We will wear the colors of gladness
Until we pass away,
No eyes shall see us falter;
And, before we lay it down.
We'll wear, in the sight of all the earth
The year's most kingly crown."
So, trees of the stately forest.
And trees by the trodden way,
You are kindling into glory
This soft autumnal day.
And we who gaze remember
That more than all they lost.
To hearts and trees together,
May come through the ripening frost.
— Margaxet Sangstbi.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 87
Poem to be memorized :
HOW THE LEAVES CAME DOWN
"I'll tell you how the leaves came down,"
The great tree to his children said;
"You're getting sleepy, Yellow and Brow*.
Yes, very sleepy, little Red;
It is quite time to go to bed."
"Ah!" begged each silly, pouting leaf.
Let us a little longer stay!
Dear Father Tree, behold our grief;
'Tis such a very pleasant day
We do not want to go away."
So, for just one more merry day«
To the great tree the leaflets clung,
Frolicked and danced, and had their way
Upon the autumn breezes swung,
Whispering all their sports among^^
"Perhaps the great tree will forget.
And let us stay until the spring.
If we all beg and coax and fret"
But the great tree did no such thing;
He smiled to hear their whispering.
"Come, children, all to bed," he cried.
And ere the leaves could urge their prayer»
He shook his head, and far and wide.
Fluttering and rustling everywhere,
Down sped the leaflets through the air.
I saw them; on the ground they lay.
Golden and red, a huddled swarm.
Waiting till one from far away.
White bedclothes heaped upon her arm.
Should come and wrap them safe and warm.
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88 NATURE STUDY
The great bare tree looked down and smiled;
"Good-night, dear little leaves/' he said.
And from below, each sleepy child
Replied, "Good-night." Said little Red,
"It is so nice to go to bed!"
By Permission of cw^W.— Susan Cooudgb.
(Little, Brown & Co., Publishers.)
By questioning lead children to see the pictures in this poem
and let each one paint the one he likes best. Commit poem.
Read and discuss:
OCTOBER'S PARTY
October gave a party; the leaves by hundreds came«
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, and leaves of every name.
The Chestnuts came in yell5w, the Oaks in crimson dressed.
The lovely Misses Maple, in scarlet looked their best.
— Selbctbd.
Why do the Leaves fall?
Let children examine leaves that are ready to fall, and lead
them to discover the layer of tissue which has been built
across the end of the petiole ; this loosens the leaf so that only
a slight breeze is necessary to take it to the ground.
The failing leaves in autumn, — ^the beginning of the year
as far as the tree's life is concerned — should serve to remind
pupils of the promise of life in the new bud.
When the leaves finish their work on the tree, the sap is
withdrawn to the branches and trunk and the leaves fall to
the earth and cover the seeds and roots of the grasses and
flowers during the cold weather.
Ruskin says of the leaf —
"It leads a life of endurance, effort and various success, issuing ia
various beauty; and it connects itself with the whole previous edifice
by one sustaining thread, continuing its appointed piece of work all
the way from top to root**
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FALL NATURE STUDY 89
Let children name leaves used as food by animals. Name
insects that make their homes in leaves.
Study leaves related to the trees and impress the following
facts : The leaves are to plants what lungs are to animals.
Where there are no trees the water from melted snow dis-
appears too rapidly; moisture that is needed in the soil is
taken away by floods.
Forests build up a wall and protect the farmers' crops.
We would have greater extremes of heat and cold if it were
not for the trees. ^
The leaves catch the rain and hold it for a time before send-
ing it to the earth. There are few birds where there are no
trees.
The old leaves make a deep carpet in the woods and keep
the ground from freezing.
Trees prevent dangerous floods. The roots and trunks stop
the water that comes pouring down the hillside.
We have severe drouths in places where there are no trees.
It has been estimated that a large plant (sunflower) gives
off over a quart of water a day. Estimate the amount given
off by a large tree.
Make a general comparison of leaves —
Those which are widest near the base.
Those which are widest at the middle.
Those which are widest near the apex.
TERMS NEEDED IN DESCRIBING LEAVES
Leaf:—
Blade : The flattened part of the leaf.
Petiole: The stem of the leaf.
Stipules : Leaf-like parts at base of the petiole.
Venation : Net-veined, parallel-veined.
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80 NATURE STUDY
Shapes of Leaves : —
Oval, arrow-shaped, heart-shaped, and lance-shaped.
Simple leaves have but one blade.
Compound leaves have more than one blade.
Leaves deeply cut like the oak are called lobed leaves.
The base is near the petiole.
The apex is opposite the base.
Edges or Margins of Leaves : —
Entire, serrate or saw-toothed ; crenate or scalloped ; and
dentate, with sharp teeth AUTUMN LEAVES
pointing outward. .. ^^^^ y^^^ lcavc8,»' said the wind one day,
Teach poems and '• come over the meadows with me and play;
.« X Ml 1 X Puton 3rour dresses of red and gold :
songs that will appeal to summer is gone and the day ^w«ld.»
the children and influence — sblbctbd.
them to love this month of "painted leaves."
Poem to be memorized:
OCTOBER
O suns and skies and clouds of June
And flowers of June together.
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather.
When loud the bumble-bee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And golden-rod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;
When gentians roll their fringes tight
To save them from the morning.
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs.
Without a sound of warning;
When on the ground red apples lie,
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still, on old stone walls,
Are leaves of woodbine twining;
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FALL NATURE STUDY 91
When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing.
And in the fields, still green and fair.
Late aftermaths are growing;
When springs run low and on the brooks,
In idle golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods for winter waiting.
O suns and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year,
October's bright blue weather.
—Helen Hunt Jackson.
Study "October."
Meaning of rival ; thriftless ; vagrant ; etc. What did Lowell
say about June? What flowers may be seen in June? in
October? Do you agree with the author? Compare bumble-
Ijee with honey-bee. Describe the gentian. Sketch the plant.
Describe chestnut burrs, woodbine, etc. Math means mow-
ing. Aftermath is the crop after the first mowing. Why do
springs run dry in October? Name the beautiful white-winged
things to be seen during this month. Which do you like the
better, June or October? Why?
THE PAINTER
A fairy brush he must have used;
And color he has not abused;
The tints and tones are blended right —
The tracery is all in white!
The morning sun comes peeping through.
With glist'ning gleams of pink and blue.
To view the picture Jack has made
With glittering jewels all inlaid.
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92 NATURE STUDY
The Son and Jack are mortal foes;
One treads upon the other's toes.
The hills and valleys melt, and run—
And poor Jack's work is all undone!
— Maky Redmond.
BIRDS
Birds, birds! ye are beautiful things*
With your earth-treading feet and your dottd-deaving wings.
Where shall man wander^ and where shall he dwell —
Beautiful birds— that ye come not as well?
—Birds and All Nahtrt.
Copyright, 1900, by A. W. Mumford.
Teacher's Preparation for Bird Lessons. — ^The {oUowing
books will prove invaluable in bird study: Birds and Poets,
Wake Robin, Citizen Bird, Bird Craft, A Bird Lover in the
West, and Birds and all Nature (A Monthly Serial).
The teacher should read and re-read the loving tributes and
ennobling sentiments of the poets, also: The Vision of Sir
Launfal, The Birds of Killingworth, To a Water-fowl, To a
Skylark, and similar classic poems.
The poet's sympathetic interpretation of bird life will foster
a love for birds, — for all
nature, and lead to a fuller "Nature never did betimy
appreciation of Words- ^^:^^^^'^::^,C::f^
worth's thought, — From joy to joy ; for she can ao inform
T— au ^ ^.: «M ^ ..,* «v«.#« rl ^ « TJ*« mind that is within ua, ao impreaa
In the primary grades wiUiquietne- and beauty and aof^
the children gladly follow with lofty thonghta, that neither evil tonirnes,
t ^1.^ 4.^^^u^^ i^^A^ Raahjudgmenta, northeaneeraof aclfiahmen,
where the teacher leads, Non^eeSng. where no Wndneaala. nor all
thus giving her the bless- The dreary intercourse of daily Ufe,
J * •! _r ^«4.«ui:«u Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb
ed privilege of establish- our cheerful faiU,,lhiSr«lui«it we behcOd
ing a living sympathy is fuu of blessings."
with all God's creatures.
Bird life is wonderfully interesting and our feathered friends
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vSwALLOws — By Laux
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FALL NATURE STUDY 93
at all times and seasons are challenging young and old to dis-
cover their secrets. The children should be encouraged to
make friends with the birds, to watch their graceful move-
ments, and listen to their songs.
Picture the life of these beautiful little creatures, the time
they spend collecting material for the nest, the ingenuity ex-
hibited in building, care of the little bird family, bravery in
defending the nest against enemies, and their joy when the
young birds are ready to fly.
If the teacher is interested and enthusiastic, the pupils will
catch her spirit and surprise her by their discoveries. In
order that children may have the privilege of observing the
birds daily, ears of corn, small boxes or sheaves of grain should
be fastened to the trees near the school or home, and a dish of
fresh water kept in a convenient spot where the birds may
drink and bathe.
Tell interesting stories and incidents of bird life. Long, long
ago, when Mother Nature gave the birds their plumage, the
thrush came last and the attractive colors were all gone; the
oriole had selected the orange ; the canary, the yellow ; the
bluebird had c.hosen the blue; the tanager, the red, and the
humming-birds and doves had monopolized the rainbow colors.
The thrush looked admiringly at her friends and said, "Never
mind, dear Mother, a plain brown dress is good enough for me,
but give me a sweet voice, so that I can make the children
happy."
Tell them about the polite bird (cedar-wax-wing) with the
high head-dress, and the beautiful little points like red sealing-
wax on the wings. A flock will often perch on the bare
branches, stroke each other's plumage, bow, twitter, and pass
choice morsels of food back and forth again and again before
any one of the number can be persuaded to eat it.
In the lower grades the living bird should be studied out of
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94 NATURE STUDY
doors, and six or eight birds known and loved as a result of
the first year's study may be considered good work. Ask
questions that cannot be answered except by observing the
birds.
What birds walk? What birds hop? What bird has a red
patch on its head? Name birds that are black or nearly so.
What time of the day do the birds begin to sing? How many
have heard birds singing in the rain? Do they sing at night?
What have you seen birds eating? Where do they sleep at
night? How many have fed birds in the winter time? What
bird was Celia Thaxter thinking of when she wrote "Don't
you remember his glowing red breast, and his olive brown
coat and his shining black eye?" Robin. What birds tell us
their names ? Bobwhite, whipporwill, chickadee, bobolink, pee-
wee, and others.
Let children try to imagine the wonderful sights witnessed
by the birds as they fly over land and sea.
BIRDS IN SUMMER
How pleasant the life of a bird must be«
Flitting about in each leafy tree;
In the leafy trees so broad and tall«
Like a green and beautiful palace hall.
With its airy chambers light and boon.
That open to sun and stars and moon;
That open to the bright blue sky.
And the frolicsome winds as they wander by.
To pass through the bowers of the silver cloud;
To sing in the thunder-halls aloud;
To spread out the wings for a wild, free flight
With the upper cloud-winds — oh, what delight f
Oh, what would I give like a bird, to go
Right on through the arch of a sunlit bow.
And see how the water-drops are kissed
Into green and yellow and amethyst!
— Ma»y Howitt.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 96
Giildren should be requested to report their observations
from time to time. They will have many questions to ask
about the birds as soon as they become really interested.
Where do the birds go in autumn? They go south where
the flowers are in bloom, when we have snow and cold weather.
Why do they go? In search of food. In their new home
they find the same kind of food that they had here all summer.
Some birds eat vegetable food, some, animal, while others
prefer a mixed diet. The locality is determined by the abun-
dance of food suited to their nature.
Will all the birds leave us? The blue jay, English sparrow,
brown creeper, and several other birds remain with us all the
year round. Some birds, as the chickadees, winter-wrens, tree
sparrows, Bohemian wax-wings, come here from colder regions
of the north to make us a visit during the winter. Some mem-
bers of the great bird family are going or coming nearly all
the time.
Which birds go first? Those whose food consists mostly of
insects. The swifts and swallows go in August or early Sep-
tember. Humming-birds also go early. Robins eat animal
and vegetable food and occasionally remain until we have
snow.
Do they go singly or in flocks? Many birds congregate in
flocks before they start, as the swallows, bobolinks, king birds,
robins, and others.
What do the birds eat that remain here all winter? They
find grubs hidden under the bark of trees, and seeds on the
grasses above the snow.
Do they fly very high? Those that fly at night generally do,
unless prevented by fogs.
Can birds fly very fast? Many birds fly a mile a minute and,
if the wind is favorable, they are able to continue at that rate
hour after hour. Swifts have been known to travel two hun-
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96 NATURE STUDY
dred miles an hour. Wild geese travel from twelve to fifteen
hundred miles a day. It is claimed that the tiny flame-breasted
humming-bird builds its nest as far north as Alaska and win-
ters in Lower California and Mexico, traveling a distance of
over two thousand miles twice a year.
HUMMING-BIRDS IN THE AMAZON REGION
It is enough to make one dumb with awe and wonderment even to
contemplate the inexhaustible variety in their freaks of outward form
alone, and it will be a day long to be remembered by any one who is
fortunate enough to spend an hour or two within the fairy tropics of
a conservatory devoted to these blossoms of the air. Here are colors
and tones that are not of this world, but rather radiations borrowed
from the celestial rainbow and the sunset and the pure blue sky. Here
are scintillating textures woven with yellow light, and twilight purples
of a hundred hues. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
—Gibson — Highways and Byways.
Why can some birds fly faster than others? The wing^ of
birds that have very long journeys to take are long, pointed,
and very strong, while the wings of those that fly only short
distances are generally short, rounded and weak. Wild geese,
ducks, and swans are first-class flyers as well as swimmers.
The migration of a flock of geese is an interesting sight. A
leader flies ahead at the point where the two lines of birds
meet, and when he decides to change his position, a neighbor
takes his place and the flock keeps in perfect order while the
leaders are changing. They fly thousands of miles to build
their nests in summer in northern regions.
Do the birds lose their way? Sometimes during storms it is
supposed that they are not able to recognize the land marks, —
rivers, coast lines, and mountains, and they often fly against
high buildings, towers, or electric wires and thus meet their
death. The eyes of birds magnify objects and enable them to
see their land-marks when the weather is clear.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 97
How do the young birds know where to go the first 3rear?
Bird lovers tell us that they are guided by the calls of the old
birds the first year, and the next year they act as guides for
other birds.
''Little bird! little bird! who'll guide thee
Over the hills and over the seas?
Foolish one! Come in the house to stay.
For I'm very sure you'll lose your way."
"Ah, no, little maiden! God guides me
Over the hills and over the sea.
I will be free as the rushing air.
And sing of sunshine every where."
— Lydia Maria Childs.
"There is a Power whose care
Teaches the way along that pathless coast.
The desert and illimitable air.
Lone wandering but not lost."
—Bryant.
Do birds wear the same plumage all the year? Their feath-
ers get worn by storms and by brushing against the branches
of trees and they drop out one by one and are replaced by new
ones. The tips of the smaller feathers give the bird its color ;
the breast feathers of a bluebird, for instance, are reddish only
at the tips and for this reason birds often present a very differ-
ent appearance during the year. Many birds are provided with
more than one new suit a year. What is the color of the bobo-
link in spring time? in the fall?
Is the burd's body warmer than ours? The temperature of
the human body is 98 degrees ; that of a bird from 104 to 108
degrees.
MoTB.— Mr. Brewster, a noted omitbtflofiil, made niasiy intereitliig diaooveries on the
ooctamal iiigbt of mlgranta at a New Brttiiswick Uirht-hoaie a few yeart ago. On the
labjeet of mlgtatlona there atiU renalna a laige field for original research, many
•ruitholngian claim.
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98 NATURE STUDY
Why is it wanner? The rapid movements of the birds
through the air increases the circulation of the blood, making
it warmer than that of any other animal, and the small, downy
feathers covering the bird's body, prevent the heat from
escaping.
How is the bird's body adapted for flight? The bird's
plumage is very light ; that of a large owl is said not to weigh
two ounces. The shape of the body and the arrangement of
the feathers (directed backwards) aid the bird in flying. The
hollow bones and quill feathers are filled with air, and the air
sacs extending through the body, even through the bones, are
connected with the lungs. The light feathers, the expansion
of the warm air and the strength of the tail and wing feathers
enable the bird to move through the air with a graceful, glid-
ing motion.
Have the birds many enemies? Yes, they have all sorts of
enemies. Rats, squirrels, cats, weasels and snakes destroy a
great number of eggs and young birds. Hawks, owls, crows,
bluejays, shrikes, and several other birds prey upon their
neighbors, and man, too, must be regarded as perhaps their
worst enemy. It is estimated that the yearly slaughter of
birds in America is about five millions — 2l million killed in
one month near Philadelphia ; forty thousand birds killed in a
single season on Cape Cod; twenty thousand supplied to a
New York dealer from one village. Why? To ornament the
hats of American women.
-- -.., o 'i.!- **What doei it cost thi« garniture of death?
May Riley bmitn says : it coau the life which God alone can give ;
Do all birds build nests ? " ««*• ^"^^ ailcnce, where waa music»a l>reath ;
i^» 1 J 4. It costs dead joy, that fooUah pride may live;
The ChlCk-a-deeS, nut- ^jj , uj^ and joy and song, depend upon it,
hatches, brown creepers Are costly trimmings for a woman's bonnet."
• . /• J ^By ptr mission c/E, P. DutUm <fc Cb.
and others are satisfied
with a second-hand nest. Some birds repair last year's nest,
as the owl, wren, and bluebird, Th« gpw-bird lays its eggs
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FALL NATURE STUDY 99
in the nest of other birds ; when the warblers find a strange
egg in their nest they often build a new nest above the old one.
Ye have nests on the mountains, all rugged and stark^
Ye have nests in the forest, all tangled and dark;
Ye build and ye brood 'neath the cottagers' eaves
And ye sleep on the sod 'mid the bonnie green leaves;
Ye hide in the heather, ye lurk in the brake*
Ye dine in the sweet flags that shadow the lake;
Ye skim where the stream parts the orchard decked land,
Ye dance where the foam sweeps the desolate strand''
— Btrdx ofu/ AU Nature, Copyright igoo, by A. W. Mumford, Chicago.
Make a special study of the domestic pigeon, or the canary,
parrot, or hen, in the school-room in order to prepare the
children for intelligent observation out of doors. A skeleton
wire-covered box will make a nice home for the pretty pigeon
until the children become better acquainted with her. Find
out what they know about this meek little bird. Let them
imitate the plaintive sound it makes. (Coo, coo.) Watch it
drinking. It does not raise its head as other birds do. Notice
its dainty steps while walking.
CHARACTER OF THE BIRD
It is an innocent, gentle bird and has always been the symbol
of tenderness and devotion. Let children tell what they have
observed about the nest. Both birds help in building and they
take turns in sitting upon the nest. They raise several broods
in one season.
Tell stories of pigeons.
FABLE
Long ago one bright day in spring many of our distinguished birds
assembled in a beautiful grove to exchange compliments and welcome
new arrivals from the sunny south. All at once, an unexpected visitor
appeared before them. Her graceful manners, dainty ways and low.
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100 NATURE STUDY
toft voice won the approval and admiration of all the lovely company.
The birds gave the pretty stranger a very cordial greeting and bestowed
upon her favors unheard of in bird life previous to that day. They not
only offered to assist the new comer in the choice of a desirable location,
but promised to give her lessons in the art of nest building.
The swallows tried to persuade her that they had invented the most
wonderful nest of all the birds, the orioles described thq beauty of a
swinging cradle in an elm tree, the meadow-lark assured her that for
safety and ingenuity no nest could be compared with her^s, the wood-
pecker offered to choose the finest tree in the grove and show her how
to make an ideal nest. The little pigeon listened attentively to all her
friends, but said with a toss of her pretty head, '1 am very thankful to
you all, but I understand the art of nest building far better than any of
you." Of course, the birds were very much offended and they all flew
away and left her there alone. No doubt she was sorry for her inde-
pendence, because she has every reason to be ashamed of her nest
Her relatives (mourning dove and passenger pigeon) need instmctioo
in the art pi nest building as well as our little favorite.
Call attention to the plumage so difficult to describe, — some-
times bluish, slate-colored, white, rainbow colors; the bright
round eyes ; the grooved bill ; nostrils in the upper bill.
Notice the short, slender legs covered with tough skin, the
four toes, three in front and one behind, and the strong, sharp
claws.
Call attention to the fluttering noise made by striking the
long, pointed wings in flight.
Let children learn the names of the parts of a bird,— crown,
beak, throat, breast, wings, tail, claws, etc.
The carrier, or messenger pigeon has a very interesting his-
tory. It has been trained to carry messages in a short
time over long distances. The training is begun when the
bird is very young by taking it a short distance from home
and setting it free. It soars upward until it determines the
right direction and then returns to its cote. Day after day it is
taken in the same direction from its home, each time a little
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FALL NATURE STUDY 101
further, until it becomes very familiar with the route it is to
travel.
A message is written on the finest paper, placed in a cylinder
made of aluminum and is attached to one of the tail feathers.
From forty to fifty miles an hour is about the average speed
of the messenger.
THE DOVE AND THE WOODPECKER
A FABLE
A dove and a woodpecker had been visiting a peacock. "How did
you like our host?" asked the woodpecker, after their visit "Ii he not
very disagreeable? His vanity^ shapeless feet, and his harsh voice are
unbearable. Don't you think so?" 'Indeed I had no time," said the
gentle dove, ''to notice these things; I was so occupied with the beauty
of his head, the gorgeousness of his colors, and the majesty of his
traia**
Tell children one of the legends connected with the Doves
of Venice.
Centuries ago this "City of the Sea** was nearly conquered
by enemies. Doves arrived with messages just in time to save
the city and ever since the doves have been protected and
loved by the people. Strangers enjoy watching them in the
beautiful St. Marco Square near the grand cathedral.
High on the top of an old pine tree
Broods a mother-dove with her young ones three.
Warm over them is her soft downy breast.
And they sing so sweetly in their nest.
"Coo," say the little ones, "Coo," says she.
All in their nest on the old pine-tree.
Nan.— 'The name "dove" and ^^pigeon'' arc not quite aynoajrinoiia, but because
"dove** is so commonly used in litenture and it is so nearly correct, *'Hbwc" advocatca
tlieuae of the term dove in primary grades.
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102
NATURE STUDY
Fast grow the young ones, day and night;
Till their wings are plumed for a longer flight;
Tilt unto them at last draws nigh
The time when they all must say "Good-bye."
Then "Coo," say the little ones, "Coo," says she,
And away they fly from the old pine-tree.
Andante sostenuto.
r f J. I M' ^'
m
m
If^
m
^^
m
m
:^
•^~J^-^ J / I J ^ ^ -< II
*b*^
BIRDLING'S GOOD-NIGHT TO THE FLOWERS
Shadows creep along the sky.
Birdies now must homeward fly;
Hear the songs they sing to greet
All their friends — ^the flowers sweet.
Good-night darling mignonette,
Good-night little violet;
Good-night pinks and four o'clock,
Good-night, homely holly-hock!
Good-night lily; good-night rose;
Good-night every flower that blows;
Thank you for your lovely bloom.
Thank you for your sweet perfume.
From Songs for Little Children by Eleanor Smith. By permission of
Milton Bradley Co. and Thomas Charles, Chicago, Publishers.
Birds are divided into families according to their form, habit,
and manner of obtaining food.
Perching Birds, Ex. — Robin, oriole.
Climbing Birds, Ex. — ^Woodpecker and parrot.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 108
Scratching Birds, Ex. — Hen, pigeon.
Wading Birds, Ex. — Crane, heron. Swimming Birds, Ex, —
Goose and duck.
Running Birds, Ex. — Ostrich. Preying Birds, Ex. — Eagle.
Find out the characteristics of each family.
DUCK
A type of water birds compared with the hen, or some other
bird previously studied.
Call attention to the boat shaped body of the duck, the legs
strong and short and placed far back on the body.
The hen's rounded heavy body. What shape better adapted
for swimming? What does the duck eat? How obtain food?
What is the advantage of the broad, shovel shaped bill with
its rough plate along the sides? Serves as a strainer and
enables the duck to retain the food and reject mud, etc. What
does the hen eat? How does she get her food? Examine the
strong membrane between the toes of the duck, adapted for
wading, the strong, sharp claws of the hen, adapted for
scratching.
Plumage of duck. Sometimes a dark, glossy green, reddish
brown, beautiful soap-bubble colors. Why so glossy? The
supply of oil in the oil gland is sufficient to keep the feathers
saturated with oil. (Waterproof.) Heavy coat of soft down
next to body. Why? Protection against changes of tempera-
ture in air and water. Compare with hen.
Make a special study of this beautiful poem :
ODE TO A WATER-FOWL
Whither 'midst falling dew.
While glow the heavens with the last steps of day.
Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue
Thy solitary way?
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104 NATURE STUDY
Vainly the fowler's eye
Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong;
As, darkly painted on the crimson sky.
Thy figure floats along.
Seek'st thou the plashy brink
Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide.
Or where the rocky billows rise and sink
On the chafed ocean side?
There is a Power whose care
Teaches the way along that pathless coast.
The desert and illimitable air.
Lone wandering^ but not lost
All day thy wings have fanned.
At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere.
Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land.
Though the dark night is near.
And soon that toil shall end.
Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest.
And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend.
Soon o'er thy sheltered nest.
Thou'rt gone; the abyss of heaven
Hath swallowed up thy form; yet, on my heart.
Deeply has sunk the lesson thou hast given.
And shall not soon depart.
He, who, from zone to zone.
Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,
In the long way that I must tread alone,
Will lead my steps aright.
—William Cullen B&YiiMT.
How can we tell when the poet saw the bird ? The appear-
ance of the sky? Number of birds? Why useless for the
fowler to try to harm the bird? Meaning of plashy brink?
Marge? Chafed? Might the bird seek a home in a forest?
Why is the first letter in Power a capital ? Meaning of path-
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FALL NATURE STUDY 105
less? Illimitable? Abyss of heaven? Boundless? What
lines show confidence in God? " as darUy painted on the crimwn iky
Paint the pictures suggested by mrJ^^u^ '^"'•"
the following lines: soon o'er thy theltercd seat**
What is the message contained in the poem ?
STUDY OP POEM
Children have studied "The Sparrows," "The Poppy Seed,"
and visited in imagination the White and Appledore Islands.
Review the story of Celia Thaxter's childhood days. Her
father was the keeper of an island light-house on the Atlantic
coast. Celia loved the stormy ocean, the seagulls, the sand-
pipers — everything connected with her home. In the follow-
ing poem she has given us a picture of herself and one of her
dear little friends.
Poem to be memorized after thoughtful discussion :
THE SANDPIPER
"Across the lonely beach we flit.
One little sandpiper and I,
And fast I gather bit by bit^
The scattered driftwood bleached and dry,
The wild waves reach their hands for it;
The wild wind raves, the tide runs high.
As up and down the beach we flit.
One little sandpiper and I.
"Above our heads the sullen clouds
Scud black and swift across the sky.
Like silent ghosts in misty shrouds
Stand out the light-houses high.
Almost as far as eye can reach
I see the close-reefed vessels fly.
As fast we flit along the beach.
One little sandpiper and I.
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106 NATURE STUDY
**l watch him as he skims along
Uttering his sweet and mournful cry;
He starts not at my fitful song^
Or flash of fluttering drapery.
He has no thought of any wrong;
He scans me with a fearless eye.
Staunch friends are we, well tried and strong.
The little sandpiper and I.
" 'Comrade, where wilt thou be to-night
When the loosed storm breaks furiously?
My driftwood fire will burn so bright!
To what warm shelter canst thou fly?
I do not fear for thee, though wroth
The tempest rushes through the sky;
For are we not God's children both«
Thou, little sandpiper, and I?"'
— Celia Thaxter.
Teacher, read poem to children. Show pictures of oceai
vessels, light-house and sandpiper. Describe bird. Expl; '
close-reefed, beach, staunch, etc. Teacher, read poem agati
and help children to see the pictures in each stanza. Grou
expressions that suggest fear and loneliness; expressions tlu
suggest hope and confidence. Sketch a picture you can see
second stanza. Repeat the last stanza of Bryant's poem "Tl
Water-fowl." Do you like this poem as well as "The San^
piper"? Give reasons for your choice.
THE GRAY SQUIRREL
This handsome, nimble, little fellow is perhaps the m<
interesting member of the large family of rodents.
In studying an animal, its manner of life in its native hauni
should be the first thing observed. Ask questions to gui<
children in their outdoor study.
When and where did you see the squirrel? Describe hi
movements. How does he run up a tree? How come down?1
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FALL NATURE STUDY 101
Compare with the cat in this respect. What does he eat?
How does he carry his food? Where does he live? Describe
his nest. When running, in what position does he carry his
tail? Imitate the noise he makes.
If teacher and pupils are so situated that it is impossible to
study the squirrels in their own natural environment procure
one alive in a revolving cage for study in the school-room.
One of the pupils may have a tame squirrel, which he will be
glad to bring to school for a week or so.
Children, watch the squirrel in his cage and find out his way
of eating, drinking, and bathing. Notice his teeth. In the front
of his mouth he has four long, chisel shaped teeth, two in the
upper jaw and two in the lower. For grinding he has strong,
broad back teeth.
How does he hold the nut? How does he eat it? He seems
to like fruit, grain, buds, and cones as well as nuts. Observe
the squirrel when asleep.
Body. — The long slender body is covered with two coats of
soft fur. The coat next to the body is very compact and
warm ; the hair on the outer coat is long and it determines the
color. The gray squirrel is variable in color, ranging from
very light gray to black. He has bright, round eyes, ears of
medium size, and very long whiskers. The hind legs are
longer than the front ones. The fore paws are each pro-
vided with four toes and a thumb, while the hind paws have
five toes each. The long bushy tail is used as a rudder in
jumping and it also serves to keep the body warm during the
winter.
Children notice that the squirrel often hides food under
leaves, bark, or other objects in the cage.
Habits when free, — ^The squirrel selects a deep hollow in a
decayed tree, lines it with moss and leaves, and sleeps there
securely the greater part of the time in winter. He stores his
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108 NATURE STUDY
food in autumn; sometimes hiding it in old trees near his
home and sometimes burying ^ portion in the earth; occasion-
ally he wakes up during the winter and runs out and finds
something to eat. His teeth continue to g^ow as long as he
lives and he must keep them worn down by gnawing.
THE SQUIRREL
In the joy of his nature he frisks with a bound
To the topmost twigs, and then to the ground;
Then up again/like a winged thing.
And from tree to tree with a vaulting spring;
Then he sits up aloft, and looks waggish and queer.
As if he would say, "Ay, follow me here!"
And then he grows pettish, and stamps his foot;
And then independently cracks his nut. * *
— Masy Howxtt.
Compare the Gray, with the Red Squirrel.
INDIAN CORN
The children above the first grade have been watching with
great interest the growth of the corn they planted in early
spring. Before the close of the term their observations should
be summed up. Teacher, direct attention to a field of com,
if convenient. Let children tell what they know about the
manner of planting corn, its cultivation, and the soil best
adapted for its growth.
Study of the Plant as a Whole
What is the average height of the stem ? Pupils measure.
How many joints in the stalk?
Are they alike? Examine the roots. How are the leaves
arranged on the stem?
Stem. — ^Tall, straight, smooth, lower nodes prominent ; pithy
inside the stalk.
Roots. — Numerous, tough, and fibrous ; strong roots branch-
ing from the lowest nodes give the plant a broader base and
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FALL NATURE STUDY 109
help to support the stalk with its wealth of leaves and golden
grain.
Leaves.-— Long, narrow, parallel-veined; spread out from
the joints in graceful curves.
Flowers.— Two kinds,— the tassel, a tall branched spike at
the top of the stem containing only stamens ; bunches of silk
in the axils of the lower leaves, — ^the styles of the pistillate
flowers.
Have children picture the com stalk.
Pollen must fall on the silk in order to mature the corn, —
it may fall from the tassel above, or it may be carried by the
wind from another plant.
Have children examine the silky threads, and find out where
they are attached to the kernels.
Has each kernel a thread? Observe arrangement of the
kernels on the cob. How many rows do you find?
Uses.
The kernels yield "Oswego," or corn starch.
The kernels ground, form Indian meal.
The stalks are used for fuel and in making baskets.
The husks are used in packing fruits, in stuffing saddles,
beds and chairs, and in the manufacture of paper.
History.
Early writers describe the corn of Peru and Chili.
Maize is probably a native of Mexico.
Early explorers of America found it cultivated by the
Indians.
It was taken by Columbus to Spain in 1520.
Edward Everett said:
"Drop a grain of California gold into the ground, and there
it will lie unchanged to the end of time, the clods on which it
falls not more dead and lifeless. Drop a grain of our gold, of
our blessed gold, into the ground and lo 1 a mystery. In a few
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110 NATURE STUDY
days it softens, it swells, it shoots upwards ; it is a living thing.
It is yellow itself, but it sends up a delicate spire which comes
peeping, emerald green, through the soil ; it expands to a vigor-
ous stalk; revels in the air and sunshine; arrays itself more
glorious than Solomon in its broad fluttering leafy robes,
* * still towers aloft, spins its verdant skeins of vegetable
floss, displays its dancing tassels, surcharged with fertilizing
dust, and at last ripens into two or three magnificent batons,
each of which is studded with a hundred grains of gold, every
one possessing the same wonderful properties as the parent
grain/'
Literature.
"Feast of Mondamin" — ^from Song of Hiawatha, and ''Maize,
the Nation's Emblem."— Hw^A/on, MiMin & Co.
Not forgotten nor neglected
Was the grave where lay Mondamin
Sleeping in the rain and sunshine * * *
Day by day did Hiawatha
Go to wait and watch beside it;
Till at length a small green feather
From the earth shot slowly upward,
Then another and another.
And before the summer ended
Stood the maize in all its beauty
With its shining robes about it
And its long, soft yellow tresses. ♦ ♦ ♦
(Mondamin was the Indian name for maize, or Indian corn.)
Teacher, read the description of "This New Gift of the Great
Spirit," and children, memorize after discussion.
THE FARMER AND HIS SONS.
The farmer was industrious and wealthy; the sons were lazy and
thoughtless. "Father, do tell us where to find your treasure," they said;
"My treasure lies in the cornfield," answered the father. The boys went
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FALL NATURE STUDY 111
to work and dug the fields day after day to find the pot of gold. They
never found it, but the field yielded a fine crop of com. This was the
father's wealth.
Read and discuss the following poem :
MAIZE FOR THE NATION'S EMBLEM
Upon a hundred thousand plains
Its banners rustle in the breeze.
O'er all the nation's wide domains.
From coast to coast betwixt the teas.
It storms the hills and fills the vales.
It marches like an army grand.
The continent its presence hails.
Its beauty brightens all the land.
Far back through history's shadowy page
It shines a power of boundless good.
The people's prop from age to age.
The one unfailing wealth of food.
God's gift to the New World's great need.
That helps to build the nation's strength.
Up through beginnings rude to lead
A higher race of men at length.
How straight and tall and stately stand
Its serried stalks upright and strong I
How nobly are its outlines planned 1
What grace and charm to it belong!
What splendid curves in rustling leaves!
What richness in its dose-set gold!
What largeness in its clustered sheaves.
New every year, though ages old!
America, from thy broad breast
It sprang, beneficent and bright.
Of all the gifts from heaven the best,
For the world's succor and delight
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112 NATURE STUDY.
Then do it honor, give it praise!
A noble emblem should be ours:-»
Upon thy fair shield set thy Maize,
More glorious than a myriad flowers.
And let the states their garlands bring.
Each its own lovely blossom-sign;
But leading all, let Maize be king.
Holding its place by right divine.
— CxuA Thaxtsb.
THANKSGIVING DAY
The autumn nature lessons and literature have enabled the
teacher to instill into the hearts of the children true feelings
of gratitude for the many bless- _ , „
ingfthey enjoy. THANKSGIVING DAY
Discuss the following topics: ;^S;^^:i'^^^'^
The Pilgrims Leaving England; The hone knows the w«y
The Pilgrims in Holland; The ?^7.ret^feanddHfted«ow.
Voyage of the Mayflower; The over the riTer.ndthtt»gh the wood.
Two Qiildren — Peregrine White Trot fwt, my d«ppie gray!
and Oceanus Hopkins; The Sfe°fwtegh^d?
Landing; etc. Show pictures of I»torthi«U Thanksgiving Day. ♦ • •
the life of that time. "" **"*'*'^
Teach — "Montgomery's Hymn," Lucy Larcom's "Thanks-
giving/' and similar selections.
THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS
The breaking waves dashed high.
On a stern and rock-bound coast;
And the wood against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed;
And the heavy night hung dark
The hills and waters o'er.
When a band of exiles moored their bark
On the wild New England shore.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 118
Not as the conqueror cornet^
They« the true hearted came;
Not with the roll of the stirring drums
And the trumpet that speaks of fame;
Not as the flying come«
In silence and in fear;
They shook the depths of the desert gloom
With their hymns of lofty cheer.
Amidst the storm they sang.
And the stars heard and the sea;
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang
With the anthems of the free.
The ocean eagle soared
From his nest by the white waves foam;
And the rocking pines of the forest waved—
This was their welcome home.
There were men with hoary hair
Amidst that Pilgrim band;
Why had they come to wither there.
Far from their childhood's land?
There was woman's fearless eye.
Lit by her deep love's truth;
There was manhood's brow serenely high
And the fiery heart of youth.
What sought they thus afar?
Bright jewels of the mine?
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?
They sought a faith's pure shrine.
Ay, call it holy ground.
The soil where first they trodl
They have left unstained what there they found
Freedom to worship God!
— Fbucia Hbicaks.
By reading, re-reading and questioning help children to
catch the spirit of Mrs. Heman's poem.
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lU NATURE STUDY
THANKSGIVING HYMN
(tune— "AMERICA.")
The God of harvest praise;
In loud thanksgiving raise
Heart, hand and voice.
The valleys laugh and sing.
Forests and mountains ring,
The plains their tribute bring.
The streams rejoice.
Then God of harvest praise;
Hands, hearts and voices raise.
With sweet accord;
From field to gamer throng.
Bearing your sheaves along.
And in your harvest song.
Bless ye the Lord.
—JaS. MONTGOICBKT.
A THANKSGIVING
For the wealth of pathless forests.
Whereon no axe may fall;
For the winds that haunt the branches;
The young bird's timid call;
For the red leaves dropped like rubies
Upon the dark green sod;
For the waving of the forests,
I thank Thee, O my God I
For the sound of waters gushing
In bubbling beads of light;
For the fleets of snow-white lilies
Firm-anchored out of sight;
For the reeds among the eddies;
The crystal on the clod;
For the flowing of the rivers,
I thank Thee, O my God!
For the rosebud's break of beauty
Along the toiler's way;
For the violet's eye that opens
To bless the new-bom day;
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FALL NATURE STUDY 116
For the bare twigs that in summer
Bloom like the prophet's rod;
For the blossoming of flowers,
I thank Thee, O my Godl
For the lifting up of mountains.
In brightness and in dread;
For the peaks where snow and sunshine
Alone have dared to tread;
For the dark of silent gorges.
Whence mighty cedars nod;
For the majesty of mountains,
I thank Thee, O my Godl
For the splendor of the sunsets,
Vast mirrored on the sea;
For the gold-fringed clouds that curtain
Heaven's inner mystery; •
For the molten bars of twilight.
Where thought leans, glad, yet awed;
For the glory of the sunsets,
I thank Thee, O my Godl
For the earth, and all its beauty;
The sky, and all its light 1
For the dim and soothing shadows
That rest the dazzled sight;
For unfading fields and prairies.
Where sense in vain has trod;
For the world's exhaustless beauty,
I thank Thee, O my God|
For an eye of inward seeing;
A soul to know and love;
For these common aspirations.
That our high heirship prove;
For the hearts that bless each other
Beneath Thy smile, Thy rod;
For the amaranth saved from Eden,
I thank Thee, O my God!
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116 NATURE STUDY
For the hidden scroll, o'erwritten
With one dear Name adored;
For the Heavenly in the human;
The Spirit in the Word;
For the tokens of Thy presence
Within, above, abroad;
For Thine own great gift of Being,
I thank Thee, O my God I
—Lucy LAmcoM.
Teacher, read the entire poem and then read it stanza by
stanza. Children describe pictures. Count the blessings
named in each stanza. Meaning of eddies? rubies? scroll?
mystery? aspirations? Commit sixth, seventh and eighth
stanzas.
Children memorize poem after discussion.
NOVEMBER
The leaves are fading and falling.
The winds are rough and wild.
The birds have ceased their calling.
But let me tell you, my child.
Though day by day, as it closes,
Doth darker and colder gn^ow.
The roots of the bright red roses
Will keep alive in the snow.
And when the winter is over.
The boughs will get new leaves.
The quail come back to the clover.
And the swallow back to the eaves.
The robin will wear on his bosom
A vest that is bright and new^
And the loveliest way-side blossom
Will shine with the sun and dew.
The leaves to-day are whirling,
The brooks are all dry and dumb.
But let me tell you, my darling.
The spring will be sure to come.
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FALL NATURE STUDY 117
There must be rough, cold weather.
And winds and rains so wild;
Not all good things together
Come to us here, my child.
So« when some dear joy loses
Its beauteous summer glow«
Think how the roots of the roses
Are kept alive in the snow.
— AucB Cakt.
Why are the leaves falling? Why have the birds ceased
calling? Even though the days grow darker and colder what
are we sure of? What will happen when the winter is over?
Name way-side blossoms to be seen this month. Find lines
that tell what happens in November. Describe pictures you like
best.
Memorize ''November.''
« « «
Each day I find new coverlids
Tucked in, and more sweet eyes shut tight;
Sometimes the viewless mother bids *
Her ferns kneel down full in my sight;
I hear their chorus of ''good-night/'
And half I smile and half I weep.
Listening while they lie "down to sleep."
^Helbn Hunt Jacksok.
By permission of and special arrangement with Little, Brown & Co.
Meaning of coverlids. Name "eyes" (flowers) that close in
November. Meaning of "viewless mother." Why half smile
and half weep?
The year has lost its leaves again,
The world looks old and grim;
God folds his robe of glory thus.
That we may see but Him.
— AucB Gary.
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CHAPTER III
WINTER NATURE STUDY
THE EVERGREENS
An acquaintance with the evergreens, our most beautiful
winter trees, should awaken lofty ideals, strong feelings and
a desire to discover the secret of their loveliness.
Preparation. — Read and discuss with children "How the
Leaves Came Down." What did the bare tree say after send-
ing the red and yellow leaves to the earth? What trees did
not send their leaves away? Tell children we must discover
some of the evergreens' secrets.
Field Lesson. — ^White Pine. Direct attention to the tree
as a whole and let children o.chrirtmMtreei o,ciiri8tma.t«ei
compare it in a general way Aitoryaweetyouteiitome;
•-Li/ xt. 1 ^ J- J 1 ^ YottteUofthatbertgifttomcti
with the maple studied last me ciiri8tx:hiid bom at Bethlehem.
autumn. O, Christmas tree l O, Christmas tree 1
Emphasize symbolism and Your branches ffreeallove to see;
* , , , , „ , Though years may pass and we grow old,
reverently lead the children to Your blessed taiewiiistiii be toid.
associate the pine and its rela- -Lucy whbblock.
tives with the sweet story of the Christ-Child and his message
of peace and love to men.
Make a special study of the White Pine and contrast it with
the Balsam Fir and the Hemlock.
The pine tree has sheltered and fed many Dirds and squirrels
and prepared many choice gifts for man's use.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 119
Tell children that this tall pine was once a tiny seedling.
Picture some of the struggles of its early life after leaving its
brown cradle in the tree, its efforts to get a foothold, the
storms that it witnessed year after year. Picture its victories
in bringing so much beauty to
, , • v • 1. J "Every pine, and fir, and hemlock
the earth m its rich, green dress ; ^^re ermine, too dear for an earl,
also in its mantle of spotless Andthepooreattwigontheelm-tree
- . -, _ , Was ridged inch deep with pearL"
white after a snow-storm. Let
children close their eyes and see the picture Lowell gives us.
A lively interest and a close sympathy with the pines will
lead to many interesting discoveries. Visit the trees fre-
quently with pupils, not to examine for them, but to direct
their senses. Children will not forget the facts revealed by the
tree itself.
Trunk. — Direct attention to the central shaft growing up-
wards, straight as an arrow. What a fine fiag-staff it would
make! The white pine is the tallest and most stately of all
our cone-bearing trees. Let children examine the bark. It is
smooth and reddish green or brown on young trees. Search
for gum, moss, and lichens.
Read or tell the story of "The Amber Beads" by Jane
Andrews.
Branches. — Let children show by extending their arms the
horizontal branches whorled on the trunk and shortest toward
the top. Direct attention to a group of trees if convenient.
Visit in imagination the home of the pines. Show pictures
and read for children, "By the Shores of Gitche Gumee." —
Hiawatha.
Emphasize the beauty of a pine forest. The great, reddish-
brown trunks pointing heavenward always, and supporting
a roof of deep, restful green ; the carpet of needles and cones,
soft yellowish-brown and gray with an occasional touch of
some bright color ; the fragrance, the silence, the dim light and
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120 NATURE STUDY
the ceaseless murmuring of the wmd through the needles, all
combine to suggest feelings of reverence.
Leaves. — Compare shape and color of needles with leaves
of maple and oak studied in autumn. Observe arrangement
on branches, length of needles, and the number in a group.
The soft, slender, bluish-green leaves from three to five inches
long, grouped in bundles, five in a group, these bundles grow-
ing from all sides of the twigs.
The foliage is indeed beautiful.
If Mother Nature patches the leaves of trees and vines,
I'm sure she does her darning with the needles of the pin^s;
They are so long and slender and somewhere in full view.
She has her threads of cobweb and her thimble made of dew.
— Wm. H. Payne.
Cones or Seed Cradles. — ^Talk with pupils about the seeds
and fruit of trees previously studied. What kind of seed
cradle has the oak? The chestnut? Observe arrangement of
seed cradles on pines, generally near the top of the trees and
near the ends of the branches. Children sing "Rock-a-by
Baby on the Tree Top." The cones are from four to six
inches long, slightly curved, and have strong, woody scales.
Compare old cones with this year's growth. Why are the
doors wide open in the old cones ? The pine sent some of her
children away to find new homes. Why can we not open all
the cones easily? The gummy resin keeps the doors closed
so that the seeds cannot get out until they are ripe. The cones
mature in autumn of the second year, discharge seeds in
September, and fall during the winter and spring. Find seeds
in pairs at the base of the cone. Find out how many pairs
of brown wings may fly away from each cradle.
Let children plant a seed and see how the tips of the needles
are held together by a little cap. When the seed-cap disap-
pears the five needles spread out. The seedlings are very
delicate and must be protected from the wind and the sun.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 121
Let children search for cones beautifully marked and carved.
Tell them that sculptors noticed this beauty long ago and in
many of the great cathedrals of the world we see them copied
in stone and choice woods. How many beautiful patterns the
Creator has given his children in trees and flowers alone !
We are told in a legend that once the pine lived on an island
home and learned to sing many beautiful songs while listen-
ing to the ocean waves as they rose and fell year after year,
and that this accounts for the strains of sadness we often hear
while visiting the pines. The pine grosbeak, many warblers,
and other birds visit the tree and sing their sweetest songs,
but the pine cannot forget its island home.
What advantage has the pine as a winter tree over maples
and elms ? The snow sifts through the needles and enables the
tree to brave most successfully the strong winds, even on the
mountains.
Uses. — It contributes in so many ways to man's comfort
and happiness that it is often referred to as a symbol of ben-
evolence. It beautifies the earth when other trees are bare.
The fragrance of the pines tells us of wonderful things hid-
den under the bark. It is one of our most valuable timber
trees. The wood is compact, straight grained, and takes a
high polish. It is used for building purposes, masts of ships,
toys, and numberless other things. Squirrels and birds eat the
seeds.
Take children on an imaginary journey to a pine forest and
see the men at work cutting down the trees, hauling them to
the river, and in the spring when the ice has disappeared, see
the great raft floating down the river to the saw mill. What
will become of them ?
Children, sketch a branch containing cones and needles.
Summarize by asking a few questions. What reasons can
you give why the pine is so well liked by us all ? Compare the
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122 NATURE STUDY
white pine with the maple. Make the questions broad enough
to include several answers.
Burroughs says in "Signs and Seasons": "How friendly
the pine-tree is to man, — so docile and available as timber, and
so warm and protective as shelter ! Its balsam is salve to his
wounds, its fragrance is long life to his nostrils; an abiding
perennial tree, tempering the climate, cool as murmuring
waters in summer and like a wrapping of fur in winter."
"Who shall reckon our debt to the pine? It builds us roofs ;
no other keeps out the sun so well. It spreads a finer than
Persian mat under our feet; provides for us endless music and
a balsam of healing in the air ; then, when it finds us in barren
places where bread is hard to get, it loads itself down with
cones full of a sweet and wholesome food, and at last in its
death, it makes our very hearth-stones ring with its resonant
song of cheer and mirth." — Helen Hunt Jackson. From Hide-
and'Seek Town. By permission Little, Brown Co. Copy-
righted.
BALSAM FIR
This cone-shaped evergreen attains a height of about sixty
feet. The bark is gray and smooth and is marked by blisters,
from which clear resin is obtained. Canada Balsam, as it is
called, is considered very valuable for its healing properties.
The aromatic perfume is one of the distinguishing features of
this evergreen. Balsam pillows are made from its leaves. The
tree is exceedingly attractive in form and foliage. The needles
are about three-fourths of an inch long, deep green and shining
above and silver color below. Flowers in May and June. The
cones are cylindrical, purple in color, two to four inches long,
and are erect in rows on the branches.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 128
HEMLOCK
This is the most graceful and ornamental of all the ever-
greens. The bark is used for tanning leather. The wood is
coarse grained and is valuable only for rough boarding. The
flat leaves are a deep lustrous green above, with a delicate
white tint beneath ; the tips of the bright green sprays are yel-
low green and resemble dainty tassels. The cones are bright
reddish brown and are about an inch long. The branches are
slender and heavily clothed with drooping foliage.
O, hemlock tree I O, hemlock tree! how faithful are thy branches I
Green not alone in summer time,
But in the winter's frost and rime!
O, hemlock tree! O, hemlock tree! how faithful are thy branches!
— H. W. Longfellow.
Compare the White Pine with the Hemlock.
CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
Christmas is very sacred and should be approached with
reverence. There is no song that was ever sung or story that
was ever told that brings such happiness as does the Christ-
mas song and story.
Love, the ruling spirit of the season, should cause the child's
best impulses to assert ChrirtmasUaioleiiiiitime,
themselves in action, and b«»«»c beneath the «ur.
, ^ ^. I 1 r The first great Christmas gift watfirea
mnuence him to look for- To aU men near and far.
ward to Christmas as a day
of great rejoicing, because of his giving, rather than receiving.
Tell him why we give.
By poem, picture, song, and story arouse the feeling of joy
at Christmas time, because of the good tidings of the birth of a
Redeemer.
Tell of the long ago Christmas made glorious by angelic
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124 NATURE STUDY
messengers, the wonderful lights from Heaven and the glori-
ous song of praise to be re-echoed till the end of time.
This story of Bethlehem is one of which the world never
wearies and should be told in a way that will enable the
children to absorb something of the meaning of the "Light of
the World" and "Love, the Greatest Gift."
O'er hill and vale, through wood and dale.
Ring out the tidings sweet again:
"Be glad; rejoice in heart and voice;
Glory to God, and peace to men."
No room within the way-side inn
Was there for Him, the Christ, the King,
But we, who know the debt we owe.
Our hearts to Him in welcome bring.
O^ Babe most dear, our pleadings hear;
Dwell Thou within our lives; and be
The Light and Goal of heart and soul.
In time and through eternity.
May word and thought, and fight hard-fought
The glory of Thy name increase.
And swell the strain of glad refrain:
"On earth, to men, good will and peace!''
Donahue MagoMine.^-AuRDRV^.
CHRISTMAS
The moon that now is shining
In skies so blue and bright,
Shone ages since on shepherds
Who watched their flocks by night
There was no sound upon the earth.
The azure air was still.
When lo! a white winged angel.
The watchers stood before.
And told how Christ was bom on earth.
For mortals to adore;
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 126
He bade the trembling shepherds
Listen, nor be afraid,
And told how in a manger
The glorious child was laid.
When suddenly in the Heavens
Appeared an angel band,
(The while in reverent wonder
The Syrian shepherds stand.)
And all the bright host chanted
Words that shall never cease,
Glory to God in the highest.
On earth good- will and peace I
^Adelaide Proctoi.
THE THREE KINGS
Who are these that ride so fast? They are Eastern monarchs three,
Who have laid aside their crowns, and renounced their high degree;
The eyes they love, the hearts they prize, the well known voices kind.
Their peoples' tents, their native plains, they've left them all behind.
The very least of faith's dim rays beamed on them from afar.
And that same hour they rose from off their thrones to track the star;
They cared not for the cruel scorn of those who called them mad;
Messia's star was shining, and their royal hearts were glad.
Oh glory be to God on high for these Arabian kings.
These miracles of royal faith, with Eastern offerings;
For Gaspar and for Melchior and Balthazzar, who from far.
Found Mary out and Jesus by the shining of a start
—Frederick W. Faber.
Dickens' "Christmas Tree" will suggest many beautiful
pictures.
NoTB.— The teacher should make special preparation for this most important of aU
stories by studying Bible chaptets in which Christ*s birth is recorded— pictures of *'H6ly
Hight,'* ** The Shepherds. " "The Wise Men** and the seoyraphy of the Holy I^nd.
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126 NATURE STUDY
A CHRISTMAS TREE
• • • • Straight in the middle of the room, cramped in the free-
dom of its growth by no encircling walls or soon-reached ceiling, a
shadowy tree arises; and looking up into the dreamy brightness of its
top I look into my youngest Christmas recollections! * * * « But
harkl The Waits are playing, and they break my childish sleep! What
images do I associate with the Christmas music, as I see them set
forth on the Christmas Tree? Known before all the others, keeping
far apart from all the others, they gather round my little bed. An
angel speaking to a group of shepherds in a field; some travelers, with
eyes uplifted, following a star; a baby in a manger; a child in a spacious
temple, talking with grave men; a solemn figure, with a mild and beau-
tiful face, raising a dead girl by the hand, again, near a city gate,
calling back the son of a widow, on his bier, to life; a crowd of people
looking through the open roof of a chamber where he sits, and letting
down a sick person on a bed, with ropes; the same in a tempest, walk-
ing on the water to a ship; again on a sea-shore, teaching a great
multitude; again with a child upon his knee, and other children round;
again, restoring sight to the blind, speech to the dumb, hearing to the
deaf, health to the sick, strength to the lame, knowledge to the igrnorant;
again, dying upon a cross, watched by armed soldiers, a thick darkness
coming on, the earth beginning to shake, and only one voice heard.
"Forgive them, for they know not what they do!" * * * * A
moment's pause, O vanishing tree, of which the lower boughs are dark
to me as yet, and let me look once more! I know there are blank
spaces on thy branches, where eyes that I have loved have shone and
smiled; from which they are departed. But, far above, I see the Raiser
of the dead girl and the widow's son; and God is good! ♦ • ♦ ♦
may I, with a gray head, turn a child's heart to that figure yet, and
a child's trustfulness and confidence. ♦ • ♦ •
Teacher read, explain and lead children to describe the
scenes associated with the Christmas music. Let each one tell
which scene he likes best. Show pictures : Holy Night — Cor-
reggio, Christmas Chimes — Blashfield, Madonnas — Raphael,
Shepherds — Plockhorst, Nativity — ^LeroUe.
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Holy Night — By Antonio Allegri i^Correggio)
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CORREGGIO'S HOLY NIGHT.
An old German Christmas carol interprets this beautiful
picture.
Cbrreggio has been called a siient night i Holy night i
painter of "light and space and aii it caim, aii is bright i
«,^*;-^« " r/^«,t^o f^ " Wr.Kr ^^^^ ^^* "^^^ mother and chUd ;
motion. Compare Holy Holy infant, ao tender and mild.
Night" with the word picture. sleep in heavenly peace.
Mary and Toseph had come siient night! Hoiy night!
_ /, , *' '^ , Shepherds quake at the light,
to Bethlehem to pay the taxes Olories stream from Heaven a&r,
exacted by the ruler. "There Heavenly hosts sing aiieiuia,
•^ ^ , , , Christ the Savior is bom !
was no room for them m the . .
SUent night! Holy night I
inn because so many people son of God, love's pure ught
had come to the town on the Radiant beams from Thy holy fee*
Jesus, I/>td, at Thy birth.
same mission. An angel made
known the birth of Christ to some shepherds on the neigh-
boring hill-side. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God. The shepherds, guided by the
star, hurried to Bethlehem, where they found the Divine Child
wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. In the
picture you see the shepherds paying homage to the new-bom
King.
Observe the bright light in the center of the picture, the
surrounding darkness and the beautiful spiritual face of the
mother. The Holy Child is the source of illumination in the
picture. The symbolic meaning is plain — "Christ is the Light
of the World." When Titian saw Correggio's paintings he
declared that if he were not Titian he would wish to be Cor-
rcggio.
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128 NATURE STUDY
Learn this poem by heart :
LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
O, little town of Bethlehem t
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by:
Yet in thy dark street shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night
How silently, how silently.
The wondrous gift is given;
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven,
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin.
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above.
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
O, morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth t
And praises sing to God the King!
And preach to men on earth.
O, Holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us we pray!
Cast out our sin and enter in.
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels^
The great glad tidings tell,
O, come to us, abide with ns»
Our Lord Emanuel.
— PexLurs BiooKi.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 129
Children reproduce story after discussion.
THE STRANGE CHILD'S CHRISTMAS
There went a stranger child, as Christmas eve closed in,
Through the streets of a town whose windows shone
With the warmth and light within.
It stopped at every house, the Christmas tree to see,
On that festive night when they shone so bright.
And it sighed right bitterly.
Then wept the child, and said: 'This night hath every one
A Christmas tree that he glad may be
And I alone have none.
"Ah, when I lived at home^ from brother's and sister's hand
I had my share; but there's none to care
For me in the stranger's land
"Will no one let me in? No presents I would crave.
But to see the light and the tree all bright.
And the gifts that others have."
At shutter and door and gate, it knocked with a timid hand^
But none will mark, where alone in the dark.
The little child doth stand.
Each father brings home gifts, each mother kind and mild;
There is joy for all, but none will call
And welcokne that lonely child.
"Mother and father are d^ad— 0> Jesus, kind and dear,
I've no one now, there is none but Thou,
For I am forgotten here.'*
The poor child rubs its hands, all frozen and numbed with cold.
And draws round its head with shrinking dread.
Its garments worn and old.
But see — another child comes gliding through the street,
And its robe is white, in its hand a light,
It speaks and its voice is sweet
"Once on this earth a child, I lived as thou livest yet.
Though all turn away from thee to-day,
Yet Iwill not forget.
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180 NATURE STUDY
"Each child with equal love, I hold beneath my care«—
In the street's dull gloom, in the lighted room,
I am with them everywhere.
"Here in the darkness dim, I'll show thee child, thy tree;
Those that spread their light through the chambers bright.
So lovely scarce can be."
And with its white hand, points the Christ-child to the sky.
And lo! afar, with each lamp a star,
A tree gleamed there on high.
So far and yet so near, the light shone overhead;
And all was well, for the child could tell
For whom that tree was spread.
It gazed as in a dream, and angels bent and smiled.
And with outstretched hands, to the brighter land,
They carried the stranger child.
And the little one went home with its Savior Christ to stay,
All the hunger and cold and the pain of old
Forgotten and passed away.
— Classic Stories for the Little Ones.
What do we learn regarding the stranger child in the first
three stanzas? In the next four? Which stanza tells about
his friends and his sufferings? Describe the Child that came
to meet him. What did he say and do ? Compare the pictures
in the first three stanzas with the pictures in the last three.
CHRISTMAS EVE
God bless the little stockings all over the land to-night
Hung in the choicest corners, in the glory of crimson light.
The tiny scarlet stockings, with a hole in the heel and toe.
Worn by the wonderful journeys that the darlings have to go.
And Heaven pity the children, wherever their hpmes may be.
Who wake at the first gray dawning, an empty stocking to see.
— Selbcted.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 131
FOR DISCUSSION AND REPRODUCTION
THE CHRISTMAS BELLS
Many, many years ago in a far away land, stood a beaatiful church.
On top of the church was a great tall steeple, and in the steeple hung
three bells. There was a great iron bell that said, "Gang I Clang!
Qang!" a smaller bell that said, ''Qing! Cling! Cling!*' and a tiny silver
bell that said, 'Ting! Ting! Ting!" When Christmas came the bells
all rang out in chorus the glad tidings of peace and good will. But
one Christmas day something dreadful happened*-no bells were heard
ringing out across the snow. Year after year passed by and on each
Christmas day the people gathered at the church bringing beautiful gifts,
but the bells did not ring. At last there was only one old man who
could remember the time when the bells had tolled the Christmas story,
and indeed many people said that the bells had never rung.
Not far from the church lived a dear little boy named Pedro^ and
with him ''Little Brother." One day an old lady gave Pedro a lily bulb
and told him to plant it and some day it would grow into a beautiful
lily. So Pedro watered and watched the bulb until at last he saw two
tiny green leaves peeping from the dark earth. How happy he was and
how happy Little Brother was too. They cared for it very tenderly and
on Christmas day a beautiful blossom unfolded its white petals.
Early in the morning the people began to gather at the church,
bringing their gifts to place on the altar, for it was the birthday of the
Christ-Child. Pedro looked at his lily and said: "Little Brother, we,
too, may take an offering to the church to-day," and he gazed wistfully
at the tall church spire. "Surely Christ would love the beautiful flower."
So they took the lily, wrapped it securely to protect it from the cold,
and started for the church. As they trudged along they heard a pitiful
sound, and looking down in the snow, found a poor little bird almost
dead from cold and hunger. Pedro gave the lily to Little Brother to
carry to the church while he returned home with the bird.
When Little Brother entered the church he found it filled with people,
so he stole very softly to a seat and waited. At last all was ready.
Then the people began to bring their offerings.
First came the king, and with majestic step walked to the altar. He
took from his head his beautiful jeweled crown, laid it upon the altar.
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132 NATURE STUDY
The people waited--but the bells did not ring. Next came the queen,
and with proud and haughty step walked up the aisle and placed her
beautiful jewels upon the altar, and the people waited — ^but the bells did
not ring. Next came the soldiers in their bright uniforms and brought
their swords to lay upon the altar, and still the bells did not ring.
At last all had taken their offerings— all except Little Brother. The
altar was piled with beautiful gifts and the people had all hoped that
once more the bells might ring. Then Little Brother looked at the lily
and thought how sad Pedro would feel when he found that it had not
been offered to the Christ-Child, for no one had brought a flower that
day — only gold and silver and jewels.
Then Little Brother took the lily and going timidly up the aisle he
placed it upon the altar. Some of the people smiled, for it was such a
little thing, they said. But just as Little Brother turned to go back
to his place something very wonderful happened— the bells began to
ring. The great iron bell said, "Clang! Clang! Clang!*' and the smaller
bell said, "Cling! Qingl Qing!" and the tiny silver bell said, "Ting! Ting!
Ting!" Little Brother ran from the church to tell Pedro ^he glad news
—his lily had made the bells ring and together they stood in the snow
and listened and then went joyfully back to their cottage.
Many years after, Pedro grew to be a wonderful musician. When he
was asked who taught him this beautiful music he would say: ''The
bells brought me the message when they rang out across the snow that
happy Christmas-day."
Adapted by Grace SuUivan.
Teacher, tell the story and lead pupils to reproduce it and
discover the beautiful meaning.
The whole world is a Christmas tree.
And stars its many candles be,
O, sing a carol joyfully.
The world's great feast in keeping;
For once on a December night,
An angel held a candle bright.
And led three wise men by its light,
To where a Child was sleeping.
—Selected.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY. 138
Poem for reading and discussion.:
A JEWISH LEGEND
I like the old, kind legend, not found in Holy Writ,
And wish that John or Matthew, had made Bible out of it
But though it is no gospel, there is no law to hold
The heart from growing better, that hears the story told:—
How the little Jewish children, upon a summer day.
Went down across the meadows with the Christ-Child to play.
And in the gold-green valley, where low the reed-grass lay,
They made them mock mud-sparrows, out of the meadow clay.
So, when these all were fashioned, and ranged in rows about,
"Now," said the little Jesus, ''we'll let the birds fly out"
Then all the happy children, did call and coax and cry —
Each to his own mud-sparrow: "Fly, as I bid you! Fly!"
But earthen were the sparrows, and earth they did remain.
Though loud the Jewish children, cried out, and cried again->
Except the one bird only, the little Lord Christ made;
The earth that owned Him Master,— His earth heard and obeyed—
Softly He leaned and whispered, "Fly up to Heaven! Fly!"
And swift His little sparrow, went soaring to the sky.
And silent all the children stood^ awestruck, looking on.
Till, deep into the heavens, the bird of earth had gone.
Our souls are like the sparrows, imprisoned in the clay;
Bless Him who came to give them wings, upon a Christmas day!
—Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (Mrs. Ward.)
Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
Where were the Jewish children? What did they do?
What did the Christ-Child say? Do you see the children? Ex-
plain the last stanza.
Teacher, tell the story and lead children to reproduce it
after thoughtful discussion.
St. Christopher
A great Italian artist named Titian painted the picture of
Saint Christopher on the wall of the Dodge's palace in Venice.
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184 NATURE STUDY
The picture was so placed that the Dodge must look upon it
every morning when he left his room. Near the paint-
ing the following words
«« n **Po' many a ywtr Sttint Christophtr
were written, "Whoever SenredOodinmanyaUnd;
shall behold the image of St. ^""^ "*^*'' P*int«" drew hu faea,
^ . iT J With lovinjr heart and hand,
Christopher, on that day OnalUrfionUandchuxchea'walla;
shall not faint or fail." f^"f **?""*• ^^'.^J?!. .
To look on good Saint Christopher
Helen Hunt Jackson Bxonght inch for aU the day." • • •
e^yc . -^Bj^ permission ofLiUU^ Brvmn 4t O0*
LEGEND OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER
St. Christopher wandered far and near in search of the greatest king
and was determined to obey no other. After serving various masters,
whom in turn he deserted because each recognized a ruler greater than
himself, he heard of Christ, the king of heaven and earth, and begged a
holy hermit to tell him where to find Christ and how he might serve
Him. The hermit said:
''Knowest thou a certain river, stony, and wide, and deep, and often
swollen by the rains, so that many people perish who attempt to pass
over?"
And Saint Christopher answered, "I know it."
Then said the hermit, "Go to that river, and use thy strength to aid
and to save those who struggle with the stream, and those who are
about to perish." To which Christopher replied joyfully, "This I can do."
So he went as the hermit had directed, and he dwelt by the side of
the river; and having rooted up a pine tree from the forest — so strong
he was and tall, — ^he used it for a staff to support and guide his steps;
and he aided those who were about to sink, and the weak he carried on
his shoulders across the stream; and by day and by night he was always
ready for his task, and failed not, and was never weary while helping
those who needed help.
Christopher one night heard a voice which called to him from the
shore; it was the plaintive voice of a child^ and it seemed to say:
"Christopher, come forth and carry me over!"
And he rose and looked out, but he saw nothing; then he lay down
again; but the voice called to him in the same words a second and a
third time; and the third time he sought round about with a lantern;
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 186
and at length he beheld a little child sitting on the bank, who entreated
him, saying, "Christopher, carry me over this night."
And Christopher lifted the child on his strong shoulders, and took
his staff and entered the stream.
And the waters rose higher and higher; and the waves roared, and
the wind blew; and the infant on his shoulders became heavier and
heavier, 'till it seemed to him that he must sink under the great weight;
and he began to fear. But nevertheless^ taking courage and staying
his tottering steps with his palm-staff, he' at length reached the opposite
bank; and when he had laid the child down, safely and gently, he looked
upon him with astonishment and he said:
"Who art thou, child, that hath placed me in such peril? Had I
carried the whole world on my shoulders the burden had not been
heavier!"
And the child replied:
"Wonder not, good Christopher; for thou hast not only borne the
world, but Him who made the world, upon thy shoulders. Me wouldst
thou serve in this work of charity; and, behold, I have accepted thy
service and thee; plant thy staff in the ground^ and it shall put forth
leaves and fruit!''
Christopher did so, and the dry staff flourished as a palm-tree in the
season, and was covered with clusters of fruit; but the Divine Child
vanished.
(Adapted.)— Miss WiUse Kindergarten Storiis.
HIAWATHA
The poetic side of Indian life so beautifully portrayed in
Longfellow's poem, appeals to children and little cflfort is re-
quired to lead them to find
"Tongues in trees
Books in running brooks, sermons in stones
And good in everything."
Hiawatha's knowledge of his environment is an inspiration
and cannot fail to stimulate a desire to learn the secrets of the
flowers, the birds and the beasts that the little Indian boy
knew.
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186 NATURE STUDY
The poet's description of Hiawatha's home, childhood, and
school, suggest many beautiful pictures of Nature, and also
tell us how this child of the forest learned his lessons.
By reading, conversation, and pictures help the children to
see the wigwam, the Big-Sea Water, and the dark and gloomy
pine trees. Children, compare Hiawatha's home with their homes.
Location, size, material, furniture, comfort, etc.
Compare Hiawatha's food with theirs as to ways of obtain-
ing, preparing and serving it. Study fish, maple-sugar, and
com.
Compare Hiawatha's clothing with that of the children in
school as to material, durability and beauty. Visit the forest
in imagination and see the animals that Hiawatha knew; the
plants. Compare animals that live in the forest with those
that live in the water. Compare beauty of the forest with
beauty of the lake. Compare uses of each to man.
Locate a linden, a pine, and other trees that Hiawatha knew,
and compare linden with pine.
Describe Hiawatha's lamp (fire-fly). How did Nokomis
heat the wigwam? What did this little boy hear and see on
summer evenings?
Memorize :
HIAWATHA'S SCHOOL
Then the little Hiawatha
Learned of every bird its language;
Learned their names and all their secrets;
How they built their nests in summer.
Where they hid themselves in winter;
Talked with them where'er he met them.
Called them "Hiawatha's Chickens."
Of all the beasts he learned their language;
Learned their names and all their secrets;
How the beavers built their lodges;
Where the squirrels hid their acorns;
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 137
How the reindeer ran so swiftly;
Why the rabbit was so timid;
Talked with them where'er he met them.
Called them "Hiawatha's Brothers."
What did Nokomis and lagoo teach Hiawatha? Children
compare Hiawatha's school with their own as to size, com-
fort, subjects taught, etc.
What can you tell of the animals named in the poem?
Hiawatha learned his lessons on the lake, on the river, and
in the fields.
The whispering of the wind through the branches, the
clouds, the stars, the rainbow— everjrthing in nature delighted
him.
Let children compare the birds that Hiawatha knew with
the birds they know.
Study clouds, frost, snow, rain, and make a weather report
each day.
Emphasize the thought of co-operation in nature — ^sunshine,
soil, rain, working together to build up the forest, the forest
contributing food and shelter for animal life.
Children compare their friends with those of Hiawatha and
their games with those of the Indians.
Compare industrial life of Indians with ours,— dishes of
horn, shell, clay, etc. Hiawatha's canoe compared with our
cars and steamboats. Study life history of material used by
Hiawatha for food and clothing.
Children reproduce by drawing, modeling or painting the
objects studied and commit description of home, school, so-
dsd and industrial life.
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188 NATURE STUDY
INDIAN CRADLE SONG
Swing thee low, in thy cradle soft
Deep in the dusky wood;
Swing thee low and swing aloft;
Sleep as a pappoose should,
For safe in your little nest«
Quiet will come, and peace and rest.
If the little pappoose is good. * * *
What message had the rainbow for Hiawatha?
This is the message it has for us :
Yet not alone to charm thy sight
Was given the vision fair; —
Gaze on that arch of color'd light.
And read God*s mercy there.
It tells us that the mighty deep«
Fast by th' Eternal chain'd.
No more o'er earth's domains shall sweep,
Awful and unrestrain'd.
• • • • ^Sblbctbo.
THE CAT
Aim.— To guide children into the careful observation of the
domestic animals.
Preparatory Work.— Give children definite questions to an-
swer by studying the cat at home. Tell how the cat drinks.
Tell how she finds and catches her food. Watch her at play
and describe her movements. Examine her eyes in the dark
and tell how they look. How do you know when she is angry?
when she is pleased? Can you tell when she is hungry?
How? Watch her washing herself and tell how she does it.
Examine her feet and tell how it is that she can walk so
quietly. Have you seen her climbing? How are her claws
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 189
fitted for climbing? How are her teeth fitted for tearing flesh?
Have you seen a mother cat caring for her kittens ? How did
she carry them ? wash them ?
Observe the flexibility of the joints. Note the ease with
which she jumps and springs.
_ *^ -TO "And often we nm racei.
Repeat: And pUy at hide and seek;
Give children an opportunity to ^ •>»« "^ cUmbthe cheny tree
And thfowgh the branches peep.'*
tell interesting things about their
kittens — ^how they care for them, play with them, etc.
Tell the story of
"THE CAT AND THE MONKEY."
Once upon a time a cat ind a monkey lived in the same family. One
day as they were walking together, they saw some chestnuts roasting
in a hot fire. The monkey said, "There, my friend, is an excellent
dinner for us. It is a good thing that you have such fine paws. No
animal in the world has paws so well adapted for getting chestnuts out
of the fire. I am always ashamed of my clumsy claws. You use your
paws so gracefully, I love to watch you. Hurry and pull out the nuts
and you shall have half of them." Pussy was very much flattered, and
thrust her paws into the hot fire, burning them severely, of course.
The monkey began to eat the chestnuts as fast as the cat pulled
them out of the ashes, and when pussy was ready for her dinner the
chestnuts were all gone, the monkey had eaten every one of them.
Children, tell the meaning of this fable.
After the children have observed the cat at home for a week
or so and described her manner of eating, climbing, playing,
etc., request one of the pupils to bring her kitten to school.
Study structure of the body and lead children to see how
well adapted each part of the body is for its use. — Smooth pads
or cushions on the under side of her paws so that she can move
noiselessly. Why is that necessary? Each toe has a very
strong, sharp claw. She stretches out her claws when she
wishes to seize her prey, or to defend herself.
Her long whiskers (feelers) help her to feel her way in the
dark.
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140 NATURE STUDY
The erect ears enable her to catch sounds quickly when she
is hunting for food.
The teeth are long and sharp. Four of them, two in each
jaw, are very strong and sharp pointed "tearing teeth."
The tongue is covered with sharp points which enable her
to tear the flesh from the bone. She can bend her tongue into
a form almost like a spoon, when she laps milk.
The pupil of her eye is round and large in the dark, and long
and narrow in bright light.
She can brush her fur with her tongue and comb it with her
paws.
Examine her soft warm fur. Let children tell about the
color of different cats. Watch the cat playing with a ball or
string, and see how the fore legs are fitted for catching things
quickly.
Tell children about the old cat that was so noted for killing
mice. The mice held a council. KITTEN PLAYING WITH
One said, "Let us hang a bell LEAVES
on the cat's neck." Excellent ST^^^^^'^rd^u
plan all agreed. They found a Fintatone, andthenlUfellow,
beU. Who will hang it on her J»»t"««""<ii'»t"y«»»"
^^ ° There are many now; now one;
neck? I am lame and cannot now they atop, and here are none;
run fast enough," said one. "I what intenaenes. of desire
° ' ^ , In her upward eye of fire I
have too many home duties," said • • ♦ —woRD&woKm,
another. Finally all stole quietly away and nothing more was
heard about belling the cat.
Let pupils compare the cat with the dog,— characteristics,
food, service they render, etc.
Tell children about the St. Bernard, Newfoundland, Eskimo,
and other interesting dogs.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 141
WATER
ITS FORMS AND USES
Aim.F— 'To help children to appreciate the beauty and the
importance of water.
To furnish a basis for geography work.
Suggestions.— Informal talks with pupils, to impress the
thought of the dependence of all life on water.
Lead children to tell ways in which it is useful to animal
and plant life, to the soil, and to the air.
Great interest may be awakened in the subject by having a
few simple experiments performed to show the importance of
the dissolving and penetrating power of water (soil, salt,
sugar, etc.).
EVAPORATION
Direct attention to the changing of water into water-dust,
which is visible, and into vapor, which is invisible. Lead
pupils to discover the effect of heat in increasing evaporation.
A bottle of water, a small oil stove or alcohol lamp, a shallow
dish, and three or four jelly glasses are all the apparatus
required.
Call attention to the drying of clothes, the disappearance
of water on pavements, streets, and roads after a rain.
Heat water and observe rising of air bubbles, evaporation,
formation of clouds, etc. Heat changes the water into vapor,
and vapor gives rise to mist, clouds, rain, dew, fog, and frost.
Let children fill several glasses with water, cover one, put
one in the sun, one in the shade, pour a glass of water into a
shallow dish and leave it in the sun. Account for the differ-
ence in the amount of water in the four dishes after a day or
two. Let children report their observations and help to per-
form many experiments illustrating evaporation.
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142 NATURE STUDY
Hold a cold plate in vapor, or "water-dust" and note what
happens.
Bring a pitcher of ice water into a warm room and see how
quickly a fine film of mist is formed on the outside — ^watch the
tiny particles of water unite, form large drops, and trickle
down the side of the pitcher. Insist upon personal observa-
tion. When the invisible vapor in the air becomes visible, it is
said to be condensed.
Children, watch the cloud rising from a locomotive and
report appearance and movements.
The sun's heat causes constant evaporation from the surface
of all bodies of water exposed to its rays.
Water vapor is lighter than the atmosphere and is continu-
ally rising into colder regions where it is condensed (clouds).
The observation in the home of what may be seen on wash-
day will help children to understand the formation of clouds,
fog, dew, etc.
DEW
When is dew formed and where does it come from? Have
you seen dew-drops sparkling upon the grass? upon cobwebs?
Review evaporation and condensation. Does the dew form
on windy or calm nights? on clear or cloudy nights?
Dew comes from the air by condensation as the mist formed
upon the pitcher in the warm room.
CLOUDS
Children will delight in discovering palaces, cities, moun-
tains, and animals in the clouds. Observe the colors in the
sky at sunset, sunrise, and before and after a storm. Where
do the clouds come from? Have you ever seen clouds in the
house? Have you seen clouds moving in different directions
at the same time? Have you seen the "silver lining"?
Tell the story of Franklin and his kite.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 148
Direct attention to the different kinds of clouds — ^feather or
cirrus clouds, rain or nimbus clouds, etc.
Uses— They beautify the world, they hold the sun's hot
rays and thus make the earth cooler for us, and produce by
condensation rain and snow.
Older children memorize two or three stanzas of Shelley's
•*The Cloud" after thoughtful discussion.
THE CLOUD
I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers
From the sea and the streams;
I bear light shade for the leaves when laid
In their noonday dreams.
From my wings are shaken the dews that waken
The sweet birds every one.
When rocked to rest on their Mother's breast.
As she dances about the sun.
I wield the flail of the lashing hail
And whiten the green plains under,
And then again I dissolve it in rain.
And laugh as I pass in thunder.
I sift the snow on the mountains below.
And the great pines groan aghast;
And all the night 'tis my pillow white«
While I sleep in the arms of the Blast.
That orbed maiden with white fire laden
Whom mortals call the Moon,
Glides glimmering o'er my fleece-like floor
By the midnight breezes strewn;
And wherever the beat of her unseen feet,
Which only angels hear.
May have broken the woof of my tent's thin roof
The Stars peep behind her and peer.
And I laugh to see them whirl and flee
Like a swarm of golden bees.
When I widen the rent in my wind-built tent-
Till the calm rivers, lakes, and seas.
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144 NATURE STUDY
Like strips of the sky fallen through me on high.
Are each paved with the moon and these.
I bind the Sun's throne with a burning zone.
And the Moon's with a girdle of pearl;
The volcanoes are dim, and the stars reel and swim.
When the whirlwinds my banner unfurl.
From cape to cape with a bridge-like shape.
Over a torrent sea,
Sun-beam proof, I hang like a roof;
The mountains its columns be.
The triumphal arch through which I march.
With hurricane, fire and snow.
When the Powers of the air are chained to my chair
Is a million-colored bow;
The Sphere-fire above, its soft colors wove.
Whilst the moist Earth was laughing below.
I am the daughter of Earth and Water,
And the nursling of the Sky;
I. pass through the pores of the ocean and shores;
I change, but I cannot die.
— Percy Bysshe SHSLLSit.
What does the cloud do for the earth? the sun? the moon?
Which stanza do you like best ?
CLOUDS
Plump little baby clouds, dimpled and soft.
Rock in their air cradles swinging aloft.
Snowy cloud mothers, with broad bosom white,
W^ttch o'er the baby clouds, slumbering light.
Tired little baby clouds, dreaming of fears,
Turn in their air-cradles, dropping soft tears.
Great snowy mother clouds, brooding o'er all^
Let their warm mother tears tenderly fall.
FROST
Recall what children learned about evaporation and con-
densation in preceding lessoitls.
Observe, wheft possible, the frost work growing or spread-
ing over the window-panes.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 145
Find trees, ferns and flowers in the frost pictures. What is
Jack Frost sometimes called?
This poem tells us about his THE LITTLE ARTIST
work : Oh, there ia a litUe artist
If a wooden pail is partly who painU in the cold night hours
^-,- .^- ,, f. , , Pictures for wee, wee children,
filled with a mixture of salt and of wondrous trees and flowers-
finely chopped ice it will soon Pictures of snow-capped mountains
- , , . - ,., Touching the snow-white sky;
become coated with star-like Pictures of distant oceans,
frost crystals. Children, observe where pigmy ships sail by;
, Pictures of rushing rivers,
beauty. By f^iry bridges spanned;
What is the difference be- Bits of beautiful undscape*,
, J J r ^-i T-' . . Copied from elfin land.
tween dew and frost? Frost is The moon is the lamp he painU by,
vapor condensed to the solid in- His canvas the window-pane.
^ - ^ ^ - ,. . , - His brush is the frosen snow-flake;
stead of to the liquid form. jack Frost is the artisfs name.
Does the frost ever do harm? -8«x.bct«d.
What good does it do?
Decorates trees and grasses with diamonds, makes fairy
pictures on our windows, makes all the snow-flakes. Improves
some fruits. Forms the beautiful cirrus clouds.
^Piildren, sketch pictures.
The frost breaks up the ground for the farmer. Breaks up
the rocks to help form soil. Helps to open nuts for the chil-
dren and the squirrels. Tells the trees and the flowers when
it is time to rest. Covers ponds and rivers with ice. Em-
phasize beauty in discussing the work of the frost. This pic-
ture is worthy of special study.
"The little brook heard it and built a roof
'Neath which he could house him, winter proof;
All night by the white stars' frosty gleams
He groined his arches and matched his beams;
Slender and clear were his crystal spars
As the lashes of light that trim the stars;
He sculptured every summer delight
In his halls and chambers out of sight;
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146 NATURE STUDY
Sometimes his tinkling waters slipt
Down through a frost-leaved forest crypt.
Long, sparkling aisles, of steel-stemmed trees
Bending to counterfeit a breeze;
Sometimes the roof no fretwork knew
But silvery mosses that downward grrew;
Sometimes it was carved in sharp relief
With quaint arabesques of ice fern leaf;
Sometimes it was simply smooth and clear
For the gladness of heaven to shine through, and here
He had caught the nodding bulrush-tops
And hung them thickly with diamond drops.
That crystalled the beams of moon and sun.
And made a star of every one;
No mortal builder's most rare device
Could match this winter-palace of ice.— J. R. Lowbll.
From the Vision of Sir Launfal.
Why did the frost build the ice palace? When did he work?
Do you see the aisles? the arches? the roof? How did the roof
look sometimes? Have you heard of the Crystal Palace?
Children^ memorize poem.
ICE ^
Set a pie tin or other dish containing water on the window
sill where the sun does not shine, and let children watch water
freeze into ice.
Impress the thought contained in the following selection
taken from "The Music of Nature." (Silver, Burdett Co.)
And the frost, too, has a melodious "ministry." You will hear its
crystals shoot in the dead of a clear night, as if the moonbeams were
splintering like arrows on the ground; and you will listen to it the
more earnestly, that it is the going on of one of the most cunning and
beautiful of Nature's deep mysteries. I know nothing so wonderful
as the shooting of a crystal. God has hidden its principle, as yet, from
the inquisitive eye of the philosopher, and we must be content to gaze
on its exquisite beauty and listen, in mute wonder^ to the noise of its
invisible workmanship. It is too fine a knowledge for us. We shall
comprehend it when we know how the morning stars sang together.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 1«
Direct attention to the beauty and purity of the snow.
Watch the falling of the flakes. Tell ways in which the snow
beautifies the earth; ways in which it protects plants and
animals.
Children, collect flakes on slate or on a piece of black cloth
and see how many kinds you can find. Note beauty. Find
pine and elm trees covered with snow and repeat stanza from
Lowell's "First Snowfall." Read and discuss "Snow Bound"
and "Little People of the Snow."
Let children tell about their favorite winter sports. Read
"A Snow Song."
SNOW-FLAKES
Once upon a time a little raindrop thought it had played long, enough
up in the clouds, and said it would go down to the earth and see what
good it could do. So it started.
While it was falling, it had to pass through a cloud that was very
cold^ and this little raindrop, instead of shrinking together as we do
when we are cold> stretched out and stretched out« until it was not
round any more, but was long, and thin, and hard like a needle; and
that is just what it was — a little ice needle.
As it went on falling, it met another just like itself.
The second said, "Little Ice Needle, where are you going?"
"Down to the earth, to see what good I can do.''
"I'll go too." So the second ice needle joined the first, and they
fell together.
Pretty soon they met a third, who said, "Little Ice Needles, where
arc you going?"
"Down to the earth, to see what we can do."
"Then I'll go too." So it joined the others, and they fell together.
Then they met another, and another, and another, who all joined them.
Then there were six little ice needles falling together, and they had a
new name — "Snow-flake."
Little Snow-flake met others, who asked where it was going. "Down
to the earth, to see what good I can do."
"We'll go too. But where shall we go?"
"I know," said one of the little flakes. "Last summer, when I was
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148 NATURE STUDY
warm and rounds I saw a place where a poor little sick boy had planted
some seeds which a kind lady had given to him. Let us fall on that
place and keep it warm, so that the seeds in the ground may not freeze,
and the little boy may have some flowers next summer."
"O! so we will/' said they all; and they fell faster and faster, so that
they might get there sooner. Other snow-flakes saw them and went,
too, and the ground was covered more and more thickly with snow, till
there was enough to keep the seeds from freezing during the winter.
When the weather began to be warm, the snow turned into water
and ran down into the earth, and
the seeds drank it, and swelled and ThU i. the way the snow comes down,
.. , ., - , Softly, softly falling,
swelled, until by and by httle leaves so He sendeth His snow like wool,
came out above the ground from Soft and white and beaudfnl,
each seed. Then other leaves grew, ^^^ *• *^f ^*y *^*« »"^ «»"«• *<*^«
J - ,.^^- Softly, softly falling.— LoxfOFXixow.
and when summer came, little
Frank had his flowers again, and all because one little raindrop wanted
to do some good in the world.
—Josephine Jarvis.
How does the snow help the Eskimos? Picture the life of
Agoonack.
Compare the little Eskimo's life with Hiawatha's.
A SNOW SONG
There's a wonderful weaver.
High up in the air.
And he weaves a white mantle
For cold Earth to wear.
With the wind for his shuttle.
The cloud for his loom.
How he weaves, how he weaves.
In the light, in the gloom 1
Oh! with finest of lace
He decks bush and tree;
On the broad barren meadows
A cover lays he;
Then a quaint cap he place9
On pillar and post,
And he changes the pump
To a silent, grim ghost.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY ^ 149
But this wonderful weaver
Grows weary at last,
And the shuttle lies idle
That once flew so fast.
Then the sun peeps abroad
On the work he has done.
And cries, "I'll unravel it all.
Just for fun."
Geo. Coopbr.
He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will
find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter. * *
Look up at the miracle of the falling snow: the air, a dizzy
maze of whirling, eddying flakes, noiselessly transforming the
world; the exquisite crystals dropping in ditch and gutter, and
disguising in the same suit of spotless livery all objects upon
which they fall. How novel and fine the first drifts ! The old
dilapidated fence is suddenly set off with the most fantastic
ruffles, scalloped and fluted after an unheard-of fashion!
Looking down a long line of decrepit stone wall, in the trim-
ming of which the wind had fairly run riot, I saw, as for the
first time, what a severe artist old winter is. Ah, a severe
artist 1 How stern the woods look, dark and cold and as rigid
against the horizon as iron. * * No longer the canvas and
the pigments, but the marble and the chisel.
* ♦ * Yht sunbeams are welcome now. They seem like
pure electricity, — like friendly and recuperating lightening.
Are we led to think electricity abounds only in summer, when
we see in the storm-clouds, as it were, the veins and ore-beds
of it ? * * Behold the frost work on the pane, — ^the wild,
fantastic linings and etchings! Can there be any doubt but
this subtle agent has been here? Where is it not? It is the
life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost,
the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.
4c ♦ 4c ♦
But with March our interest in winter begins to decline.
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160 NATURE STUDY
Vague rumors are afloat in the air of a great and coming
change. We are eager for winter to be gone, since he, too,
is a fugitive and cannot keep his place. Invisible hands deface
his icy statuary ; his chisel has lost its cunning. The drifts, so
pure and exquisite, are now earth-stained and weather-worn,
— ^the flutes and scallops, and fine firm lines, all gone ; and what
was a grace and an ornament to the hills is now a disfiguration.
Like worn and unwashed linen appear the remains of that
spotless robe with which he clothed the world as his bride.
But he will not abdicate without a struggle. Day after day
he rallies his scattered forces, and night after night pitches his
white tents on the hills, and would fain regain his lost ground ;
but the young prince in every encounter prevails. Slowly and
reluctantly the gray old hero retreats up the mountain, till
finally the south rain comes in earnest and in a night he is
dead. — Burroughs. Winter Sunshine. By special permission
of and arrangement with Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
RAIN
Observe the clouds before a rainstorm. Review evaporation
and condensation. Children, watch the rain coming down, lis-
ten to its patter on the window, and its splash in the pond.
What do you infer respecting currents of air when you see
clouds moving in one direction and at the same time other
clouds moving in a different direction?
If a warm current of air comes in contact with a cold current
what may happen? Which is heavier water or ice? (The
vapor may be condensed into ice crystals or into mist particles.
In the summer many of the clouds you see are banks of ice
crystals).
What becomes of the water after a rain? A part of it
changes to vapor ; a part of it flows over the ground to the
nearest streams, while another part sinks into the g. ound*
Find out uses of water that sinks below the surface-
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 161
How are springs formed?
How are the roots of plants nourished? Put salt in a cup
of boiling water, hold plate over cup, taste the drops of water
that collect on plate.
Talk with the pupils about the work of the sun in taking
up water from the ocean (evaporation).
Children, trace a raindrop from its home in the lake to the
clouds and back to the earth again.
Uses of Water. — In the air? As a motive power? To
plants and animals ? As a means of travel ? In the home? In
the soil? In purifying the atmosphere? Some of the inequal-
ities of the surface of the earth may be traced to the action of
water.
WORK OF STREAMS
Field Lesson. — Direct children's attention to the work of
water in carrying and depositing soil, width of river, wind-
ings, etc.
In what kind of soil does it wear most rapidly? Read :
O tell me pretty brooklet!
Whence do thy waters flow?
And whither art thou roaming.
So smoothly and so slow?
My birthplace was the mountain,
My nurse the April showers;
My cradle was a fountain
O'er curtained by wild flowers.— Anok.
Little brook that floweth by,
Under vine and willow^
Fair thou lookest on the sky.
Hastening to the billow.
Brooklet, thou and I are one,
Both in mood and motion;
Fair the fields, but brief the run
To the soundless ocean.
—Daniel J. Donahos.
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162 NATURE STUDY
SPRINGS
A spring is always a vital point in the landscape; it is,
indeed, the eye of the fields. * * Here the Sunday saunterer
stops and lounges with his book, and bathes his hands and face
in the cool fountain. Hither the strawberry-girl comes with
her basket and pauses a moment. The plowman leaves his
plow, and in long strides approaches the life-renewing spot.
* * Here the cattle love to pass the heat of the day, and
hither come the birds to wash themselves and make themselves
clean. * * It is a creative and generative center. It at-
tracts all things to itself, — the grasses, the mosses, the flowers,
the wild plants, the great trees. * * An intermittent spring
is shallow ; it has no deep root and is like an inconstant friend.
But a perennial spring, one whose ways are appointed, one
whose foundation is established, what a profound and beauti-
ful symbol! — From Pepacton, John Burroughs. By permis-
sion of and special arrangement with Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
Make a special study of this poem :
THE BROOK
I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally,
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
By thirty hills I hurry down^
Or slip between the ridges;
By twenty thorps, a little town.
And half a hundred bridges.
I chatter over stony ways,
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY t53
With many a curve my banks I fret.
By many a field and fallow.
And many a fairy foreland set
With willow-weed and mallow.
I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river;
For men may come and men may go
But I go on forever.
I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout.
And here and there a grayling.
And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel,
With many a silvery waterbreak
Above the golden gravel.
I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers;
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
That grow for happy lovers.
I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance.
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeams dance
Against my sandy shallows.
I murmur under moon and stars
In brambly wildernesses;
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses.
And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river.
For men may come and men may go
But I go on forever.
—Tennyson.
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154 NATURE STUDY
A SONG OF THE SEA
The seal the seal the open seal
The blue, the fresh, the ever free I
Without a mark, without a bound.
It runneth the earth's wide regions round.
It plays with the clouds, it mocks the skies.
Or like a cradled creature lies.
I love (oh I how I love) to ride
On the fierce, foaming, bursting tide
When every mad wave drowns the moon.
Or whistles aloft his tempest tune.
And tells how goeth the world below
And why the southwest blasts do blow.
-—Bryan Walter Proctor (Barry Corawall).
Henry Van Dyke writes :
A river is the most human and companionable of all inani-
mate things. It has a life, a character, a voice of its own, and
is as full of good fellowship as a sugar-maple is of sap. It can
talk in various tones, loud or low, and of many subjects, grave
and gay. Under favorable circumstances it will even make a
shift to sing; not in a fashion that can be reduced to notes,
but in a vague, refreshing manner, and to a wandering air that
goes "O'er the hills and far away." — From Little Rivers. Henry
Van Dyke. Copyright, 1895, by Chas. Scribner's Sons.
APOSTROPHE TO THE OCEAN
Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean — ^rollf
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Man marks the earth with ruin— his control
Stops with the shore; — ^upon the watery plain
The wrecks are all thy deed^ nor doth remain
A shadow of man's ravage, save his own.
When for a moment, like a drop of rain.
He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 156
And I have loved thee, ocean! and my joy
Of youthful sports was on thy breast to be
Borne, like thy bubbles, onward; from a boy
I wantoned with thy breakers— they to me
Were a delight; and if the freshening sea
Made them a terror, 'twas a pleasing fear;
For I was, as it were, a child of thee.
And trusted to thy billows far and near.
And laid my hand upon thy main— as I do here.
— LoxD Bysow.
THE SUN
Behold the miracle!
Thou saw'st but now the twilight sad
And stood beneath the firmament,
A watchman in a dark gray tent.
Waiting till God create the earth, —
Behold the new majestic birth!
The mottled clouds, like scraps of woof.
Steeped in the light, are beautiful.
— EuE&soN (Sunrise),
Direct attention to the appearance of the sky at sunrise
and let children note changes that come with morning. Light,
heat, birds, etc.
Sweet is the breath of Mom, her rising sweet
With charms of earliest birds; pleasant the sun
When first on this delightful land he spreads
His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower,
Glistening with dew.
—Milton.
Work of the Sun.— Gives beauty to earth and sky- (clouilsy
rainbow, etc.). Recall experiments showing the influence of
the sun upon vegetation.
Direct attention to the leaves of plants — arranging them-
selves so as to get as much light as possible.
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166 NATURE STUDY
Repeat observations made in preceding lessons on evapora-
tion — sun lifts water from rivers, lakes, and oceans up to the
mountains, gives light and heat to all the world, and rears the
whole vegetable kingdom.
"Sunbeam of summer^ oh what is like thee,
Hope of the wilderness, joy of the sea?
One thing is like thee, to mortals given;
The faith touching all things with hues of heaven." ♦ • ♦
— Mrs. Hbmans.
Call attention to shadows.
When is your shadow longest ? When is it shortest ? Which
way does it point in the morning? at noon?
Observe your shadow at different times during the day, for
a week, and tell direction in which it falls.
THE FERRY FOR SHADOWTOWN
Sway to and fro in the twilight gray;
This is the ferry for Shadowtown;
It always sails at the end of the day.
Just as the darkness closes down.
Rock slow, more slow in the duskv light.
Silently lower the anchor down:
Dear little passenger, say "Good-night."
We've reached the harbor of Shadowtown.
— SSUECTID.
THE SUN'S TRAVELS
The sun is not abed, when I
At night upon my pillow lie;
Still round the earth his way he tsMtts^
And morning after morning makes.
While here at home in shining day,
We round the sunny garden play,
Each little Indian sleepy-head
Is being kissed and put to bed.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 167
And when at eve I rise from tea.
Day dawns beyond the Atlantic sea;
And all the children in the West,
Are getting up and being dressed.
Rand, McNally Co. —Robert Louis Stephenson.
THE SUN
"The sun comes forth; — each mountain height
Glows with a tinge of rosy light.
And flowers that slumber'd through the night
Their dewy leaves unfold;
A flood of splendor bursts on high.
And ocean's breast reflects a sky
Of crimson and of gold.
"Oh I thou art glorious, orb of day I
Exulting nations hail thy ray.
Creation swells a choral lay.
To welcome thy return;
From thee all nature draws her hues.
Thy beams the insect's wings suffuse,
And in the diamond bum."
— Selected.
THE SUN
Eye of thy Maker, which hath never slept
Since the Eternal Voice from chaos saidt
"Let there be light!" Great monarch of the day,
♦ ♦ ♦ * Unresting orb!
Pursuest thou, mid the labyrinth of suns,
Some pathway of thine own? Say, dost thou sweep.
With all thy marshall'd planets in thy train.
In grand procession on, through boundless space.
Age after age, towards some mysterious point
Mark'd by His finger?
— Selected.
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168 NATURE STUDY
THE MOON
Request children to observe the moon frequently during
the month and note changes from night to night.
Read AND discuss:
THE SILVER BOAT
There is a boat upon a sea;
It never stops for you or me.
The sea is blue, the boat is white;
It sails through winter and summer night
The swarthy child in India land
Points to the prow with eager hand;
The little Lapland babies cry
For the silver boat a-sailing by.
It fears no gale» it fears no wreck;
It never meets a change or check
Through weather fine or weather wild.
The oldest saw it when a child.
Upon another sea below
Full many vessels come and go;
Upon the swaying, swinging tide
Into the distant worlds they ride.
And strange to tell, the sea below.
Where countless vessels come and go.
Obeys the little boat on high
Through all the centuries sailing by.
— Selbctbd.
Compare the light of the full moon with the light of the sun.
How often do we have a new moon? Draw the different
shapes you have seen. Watch for the crescent of the new
moon. Tell children that the sun shines on the moon and the
moon sends its light to us after the sun has disappeared —
shines by light reflected from the sun.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 169
Children memorize:
THE NEW MOON
Dear mother, how pretty
The moon looks to-night!
She was never so cunning before;
Her two little horns
Are so sharp and so bright,
I hope she'll not grow any more.
If I were up there.
With you and my friends,
Fd rock in it, nicely you'd see;
Fd sit in the middle
And hold by both ends;
Oh. what a bright cradle 'twould bet
I would call to the stars
To keep out of the way.
Lest we should rock over their toes;
And then I would rock
Till the dawn of the day.
And see where the pretty moon goes.
And there we would stay
In the beautiful skies;
And through the bright clouds we would roam.
We would see the sun set,
And see the sun rise.
And on the next rainbow come home.
(SOver, Burdette & Co.) —Mrs. Follbn.
THE STARS
Observe the stars.
Which gives us the most light, the sun or the moon? the
stars or the moon ? Which looks to be larger, the moon or the
sun? the moon or the stars?
Some of the stars are suns, but they are far, very far away
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160 NATURE STUDY
from us. Learn to find the North Star. Do you know the
Great Dipper? ^ ^ ^
Observe the number and ar- oiUdof thcnrthiohi lift thy glance
rangement of the stars in the 3^y<«brightfinii*iiieiit'«exp.«i.e.
r^. YT £ The glorlei of lt» realm explore.
Dipper. How many stars form And case, and wonder, and adoiel
the handle? the bowl? If one DothUnotip^ktoereryienae
The marvels of Omnipotence?
has lost his way on a clear 8ee>st thou not there th* Almighty name
night how may he know which I^icribed la characters of flame? "
. « 1.T « /n .» —Mas. HXICAMB.
Star IS the North Star?
Recall the story of the wise men from far Eastern lands,
who studied the stars so long ago and were guided to Bethle-
hem by that wonderful star which stood still over the place
"where the Divine Child was."
The stars guide people over land and sea. On dark nights
they are invaluable aids to the mariner.
Memorize :
STARS
They glide upon their endless way,
Forever calm^ forever bright;
No blind hurry, no delay,
Mark the daughters of the night;
They follow in the track of day,
In divine light.
Shine on, sweet orbed ones for aye;
Forever calm, forever bright;
We ask not whither lies your way,
Nor whence ye came, nor what your light,
Be still a dream throughout the day,
A blessing through the night.
—Barry Cornwaxx.
For reproduction :
A LEGEND OF THE GREAT DIPPER
The faces of the stars shone so brightly one night that the earth-
children thought the moon was telling a pretty story. And so she was,
and this is the story:
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 161
The great Dipper which you, my dear children, love to see has a
deep meaning which yon are not to forget as long as the stars shine.
[ will tell you the story.
In another world than ours, said Lady Moon, there was once great
trouble and sorrow. No, it was not in the earth world, my dear, she said
to a small star who always asked questions, it was not in the heaven
world either, but in another far-away world, where many children lived.
For some good reason, which only the Father knows, the people and
children, the animals and every living thing, were suffering great
thirst; and no water, nor dew, nor a drop of moisture could they find
anywhere. A little child of that world went out alone in the dry, dark
night, carrying a small tin dipper, and prayed very earnestly for just
that little cup of water; and when she lifted the cup, it was brimming
with clear cold water, which would not spill, though she ran rapidly,
her hand trembling with her faintness; for she did not taste the water*
having prayed for another's need. As she ran, she stumbled and fell,
for she was very weak; and when feeling about, trying to rise, she
touched a little dog that seemed to be dying of thirst, and the good
child poured a few drops of the precious water in the palm of her hand
and let the dog lap it. He seemed as refreshed as if he had drank from
a river.
The child could not see what happened to her cup; but we saw and
sang for joy. The cup turned to silver, and grew larger, the water not
having become less, but more, by her giving.
She hurried on to give the water to one who was quite unable to
come to meet her, — ^none other than her own dear mother, who took the
water eagerly, as one in a deadly fever, but without putting it to her
lips; for she heard just then a weak moan which came from the faith-
ful servant who tried to raise her mistress's head, but found she had
not the strength. The mother pressed the dipper into the hands of
the maid, and bade her drink, feeling her own life so wasted that one
little cup of water could not renew it. And neither servant nor mistress
noticed that the dipper changed from silver to gold, and grew larger
than before.
The good servant was about to give each member of the family one
spoonful of the precious water, when a stranger entered, dressed in a
costume unknown in that country, and speaking in a strange tongue,
but showing the same signs of thirst and distress as themselves. The
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162 NATURE STUDY
senrant said, "Sacred are the needs of the stranger in a strange land,"
and pressed the dipper to the parched lips of the fainting man.
Then the great wonder was wrought 1 and the golden dipper flashed
forth incmsted with the most precious diamonds, containing a fountain
of gushing water, which supplied the thirsting nation, as freely and
snrdy as it had quenched the thirst of the little dog.
And the Stranger stood before them, a glorious, radiant Being; and
as He faded from their sight, a silver trumpet tone was heard to pro-
claim: "Blessed is he that giveth a cup of water in My name."
And the possession of a dipper blazing with diamonds is in that coun-
try a sure badge of royalty; for no one can buy or receive one as a gift,
nor can fathers bequeath them to their children. Each child is given a
tin dipper at its birth, and only by purely unselfish acts can a diamond
one be wrought
Some of the foolish people have not yet learned its secret, and they
go about trying to exchange their tin for silver by doing kind deeds.
Sometimes they accuse the Father of All very bitterly because they
grow old possessing only the tin dipper; for the secret of the exchange
can no more be told than the beautiful, flashing, sparkling diamonds
can be purchased. Sometimes there are great surprises, when people
give up the hope of such a possession, and forget themselves; for then
they often find the castaway tin bearing evidence in silver, gold, or
even diamonds, that they have become royal; but by that time they
have no vanity because of their fortune. Only modest, thankful, brave,
happy feelings possess the owners of diamond dippers.
The Lady Moon now lifted a white finger toward the east, which was
growing rosy, and the baby stars all knelt a moment, looking like
white-robed nuns at prayers. Then the morning wind swept aside the
great blue silken curtain of the sky, and the Moon followed her children
into Heaven, to do whatever the Father had planned for them while
they were out shining for His earth children.
»ToLD BY Sasa Wiltse IN Storiis and Morning Talks.
What was the trouble in the far away world? What did the
child do? What caused the first great change in the dipper?
the second? the third? How may a diamond dipper be ob-
tained? What lesson is taught in this story?
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 163
Children, memorize the following beautiful lullaby.
It is full of childish fancies. One of the offerings at Eugene
Field's funeral was a shoe of white carnations with the words,
"Wynken, Blynken, and Nod."
WYNKEN, BLYNKEN, AND NOD
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe —
Sailed on a river of crystal light.
Into a sea of dew —
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?**
The old moon asked of the three.
"We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we I"
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song.
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffied the waves of dew!
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea, —
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish —
Never afeard are we;"
So cried the stars to the fishermen three,
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam-
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe.
Bringing the fishermen home;
Twas all so pretty a sail, it seemed
As if it could not be.
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164 NATURE STUDY
And some folks thought 'twas a dream they dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea—
But I shall name you the fishermen three,
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head;
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies,
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be«
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three,
Wynken,
Blynken.
And Nod.
—From WUk Trumpet and Drum.
Cop3rright Chas. Scribner^s Sons.
Children memorize this poem after thoughtful discus*
sion:
BIRDS
• * *
Do you ne'er think what wondrous beings these?
Do you ne'er think who made them, and who taught
The dialect they speak, where melodies
Alone are the interpreters of thought?
Whose household words are songs in many keys.
Sweeter than instruments of man e'er caught 1
Whose habitations in the tree-tops even
Aie half-way houses on the road to heaven!
Think, every morning when the sun peeps through
The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove,
How jubilant the happy birds renew
Their old melodious madrigals of lovel
And when you think of this, remember too
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WINTER NATURE STUDY M6
Tis always morning somewhere, and above
The awakening continents, from shore to shore,
Somewhere the birds are singing evermore.
Think of your woods and orchards without birds!
Of empty nests that ding to boughs and beams.
You call them thieves and pillagers; but know,
They are the winged wardens of your farms.
Who from the cornfields drive the insidious foe.
And from your harvests keep a hundred harms;
Even the blackest of them all, the crow.
Renders good service as your man-at-arms.
Crushing the beetle in his coat of mail.
And crying havoc on the slug and snail.
—Longfellow, Birds of KiUingwarth,
CHICKADEE
Do you know the little chickadee
In his brownish ashen coat.
With a cap s6 black and jaunty
And a black patch on his throat?
—Selected.
The chickadee, snow-bird, bluejay, English sparrows, and a
few other birds can be studied before the snow disappears.
Chickadee. — "Little friend" is what it means. Black-capped
Titmouse is another name for this cheery, fearless, sociable
little bird. Insects can seldom escape his bright eyes. He
finds the tiny eggs hidden under the bark and destroys num-
berless destructive insects that live in the buds and the tender
bark of trees. The nest is generally in an old knot hole and
with its four or five white eggs delicately touched with pink, is
very pretty. He sleeps in the thick pine shrubs, so that it is
hard for the owls and other enemies to find him.
Let children watch his movements and learn as many of his
habits as possible.
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166 NATURE STUDY.
In studying a bird observe:
Length of bird.
Color,— of upper parts, lower parts, head, neck, breast^
wings, tail and feet.
Beak, — shape, length and color.
Feet, — ^number and arrangement of toes.
Tail, — ^long, short, square, wide, narrow, etc.
Find out about its :
Food, disposition, habits, song.
Nest building — ^when, where^ materials used, etc
AN EASTERN LEGEND
There's a tender Eastern legend.
In a volume old and rare.
Of the Christ-child in his garden
Walking with the children there.
And it tells — ^this strange, sweet story^
(True or false, ah, who shall say?)
How a bird with broken pinion
Dead within the garden lay.
And the children, children cruel.
Lifted it by shattered wing,
Shouting, "Make us merry music.
Sing, you lazy fellow, sing."
But the Qirist-child bent above it,
Took it in his gentle hand.
Full of pity for the suffering
He alone could understand.
Whispered to it— oh, so softlyt
Laid his lips upon its throat.
And the song-life, swift returning.
Sounded out in one glad note.
Then away, on wings unwearied.
Joyously it sang and soared.
And the little children kneeling
Called the Christ-child "Master— Lord."
—Grace Duffield Goodwin in Our Dumb AnUuait.
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Madonna of the Lily— By Leonardo da Vinci
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 167
Help children to understand the beautiful thought in this
sweet story.
The Blue Jay. — ^This pretty bird is not a great favorite.
Learn to recognize his song, scream, laugh, and whistle. He
has many queer habits.
He stores acorns and nuts in hollow trees and has thus
planted forests. Describe the blue jay and discover his good
qualities.
This poem is a tribute to his beauty :
THE BLUE JAY
O, Blue Jay, up in the maple tree.
Shaking your throat with such bursts of glee,
How did you happen to be so blue?
Did you steal a bit of the lake for your crest.
And fasten blue violets into your vest?
Tell me, I pray you,— tell me true!
Did you dip your wings in azure dye,
When April began to paint the sky, *
That was pale with the winter's stay?
Or were you hatched from a bluebell bright^
'Neath the warm, gold breast of a sunbeam light.
By the river one blue spring day?
O, Blue Jay, up in the maple tree,
A-tossing your saucy head at me.
With ne'er a word for my questioning.
Pray, cease for a moment your "ting-a-link,"
And hear when I tell you what I think,—
You bonniest bit of the spring.
I think when the fairies made the flowers.
To grow in these mossy fields of ours.
Periwinkles and violets rare.
There was left of the spring's own color« blue.
Plenty to fashion a flower whose hue
Would be richer than all and as fair.
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168 NATURE STUDY
So, putting their wits together, they
Made one great blossom so bright and gay, j
The lily beside it seemed blurred;
And then they said, "We will toss it in air;
So many blue blossoms grow everywhere.
Let this pretty one be a bird!"
—Susan Hartley Swbtt.
The following story in verse may be used for reproduc-
tion:
THE SPARROWS
In the far-off land of Norway,
Where the winter lingers late.
And longs for the singing birds and flowers
The little children wait;
When at last the summer ripens
And the harvest is gathered in.
And food for the bleak, drear days to come
The toiling people win;
Through all the land the children
In the golden fields remain.
Till their busy little hands have gleaned
A generous sheaf of grain;
All the stalks by the reapers forgotten
They glean to the very least.
To save till cold December^
For the sparrows' Christmas feast.
And then through the frost-locked country
There happens a wonderful thing;
The sparrows flock, north, south, east, west.
For the children's offering.
Of a sudden, the day before Christmas,
The twittering crowd arrive.
And the bitter, wintry air at once
With their chirping is all alive.
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 169
Tkey perch upon roof and gable.
On porch and fence and tree.
They flutter about the windows
And peer in curiously;
And meet the eyes of the children^
Who eagerly look out
With cheeks that bloom like roses red.
And greet them with welcoming shout.
On the joyous Christmas morning.
In front of every door,
A tall pole, crowned with clustering grain.
Is set the birds before.
And which are the happiest, truly
It would be hard to tell;
The sparrows, who share in the Christmas cheer,
Or the children who love them well!
How sweet that they should remember.
With faith so full and sure.
That the children's bounty awaited them
The whole wide country o'erl
When this pretty story was told me.
By one who had helped to rear
The rustling grain for the merry birds
In Norway, many a year,
I thought that our little children
Would like to know it too.
It seems to me so beautiful.
So blessed a thing to do;
To make God's innocent creatures sec
In every child a friend.
And on our faithful kindness
So fearlessly depend.
— Cblia Thaxtbi.
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170 NATURE STUDY
BIRDS
"I have seen no bird walk the ground with just the same air
the crow does. It is not exactly pride; there is no strut or
swagger in it, though perhaps just a little condescension ; it is
the contented, complaisant, and self-possessed gait of a lord
over his domains. All these acres are mine, he says, and all
these crops ; men plow and sow for me, and I stay here or go
there, and find life sweet and good wherever I am. The hawk
looks awkward and out of place on the ground ; the game birds
hurry and skulk ; but the crow is at home, and treads the earth
as if there were none to molest or make him afraid.
The crows we have always with us, but it is not every day
or every season that one sees an eagle. Hence I must pre-
serve the memory of one I saw the last day I went bee-
hunting. As I was laboring up the side of a mountain at the
head of a valley, the noble bird sprang from the top of a dry
tree above me and came sailing directly over my head. I saw
him bend his eye down upon me, and I could hear the low hum
of his plumage as if the web of every quill in his great wings
vibrated in his strong, level flight. I watched him as long
as my eye could hold him. When he was fairly clear of the
mountain he began that sweeping spiral movement in which
he climbs the sky. Up and up he went, without once breaking
his majestic poise, till he appeared to sight some far-off alien
geography, when he bent his course thitherward and gradu-
ally vanished in the blue depths. The eagle is a bird of large
ideas ; he embraces long distances ; the continent is his home.
I never look upon one without emotion; I follow him with
my eye as long as I can. I think of Canada, of the Great
Lakes, of the Rocky Mountains, of the wild and sounding sea-
coast. The waters are his, and the woods and the inaccessible
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WINTER NATURE STUDY 171
cliffs. He pierces behind the veil of the storm, and his joy
is height and depth and vast spaces.— Fr{>m Idyl of the Honey
Bee. John Burroughs. By permission of and special arrange-
ment with Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Publishers.
Children reproduce story.
WINTER AND SPRING
Old Winter sat all alone in his hut beside a frozen river.
The winds were howling and shrieking, and the flowers had hid
themselves away in the earth.
Even the big round sun had crept away toward the south, for he did
not like Old Winter and the North.
One morning Old Winter heard a gentle tap at his door; a soft per-
fume came in upon the air.
"Ah! you have come, good Springtime/' Old Winter said.
"Come in, the Red children will be glad that you have come. Sit
down and let us talk together.
"I shall have to creep away to my own home very soon, now that
you have come. You have never seen my home. It is very beautiful,
I think, and it is white and shining. The waters have a beautiful roof,
over them. It is smooth, and one can see the river underneath some-
times; and when the sun looks upon it, it shines like silver."
"Of course, it is beautiful," said the Spring, "but I like mine better.
There is no sparkling snow there; but we have sparkling waters. There
are green leaves on the trees and the fields are full of flowers. When
the soft wind comes, then the waters dance, and the grasses bend
before it."
"But I have great power," Old Winter said, "for when I breathe, the
rivers and the whole earth become hard."
"If I shake my long white locks of hair, then the earth is covered
with glistening snow-flakes. The leaves drop from the trees and the
flowers disappear."
"I, too, have power," said the Spring. "My voice is not very loud,
but when I whisper, all the trees and the flowers hear me, though they
are fast asleep. When I breathe, the grasses spring up and all the flow-
ers burst forth to greet me. I shake my golden hair, and soft shadows
fall upon the earth. The raindrops help the flowers and grasses to
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172 NATURE STUDY
come out into the sunlight; and the hearts of the Red Children are
fttU of joy."
But already the sun had begun to creep back towards the north.
He thought he heard the voice of Spring and was coming to see. He
felt the softness in the air, and he smelled the sweetness.
The birds, too, thought they heard the voice of Spring, so they canle
and perched upon the roof of Old Winter's hut
The rivers, too, had heard their names called; and already they were
beginning to dance and sparkle.
There was a sweet odor, like new grass, in the hut; then Old Winter
began to grow very still. "I am sleepy," he said.
By and by, the water dripped from his long, white hair, he grew very,
very small and very weak, until at last no sign of Winter was left;
and on the floor of the hut where he had been, sprang up a beautiful
pink flower.
"It is a Spring Beauty!" the Red children say, and when they see
it they rejoice, for they know that old Winter has crept away to his
home, and that Spring has come to dwell in his place.
—Dorothy B&ooks.
Describe winter and tell what he had to say about his home.
What did spring say? What did the birds and the rivers do
when they heard Spring calling? What happened when Win-
ter grew small and weak? Describe the Spring Beauty.
ALMOST TIME
Almost time for the pretty white daisies
Out of their sleep to waken at last.
And over the meadows, with grasses and clover
To bud and to blossom^ and grow so fast;
Almost time for the buttercups yellow.
The ferns and the flowers, the roses and all.
To waken from slumber, and merrily listen
To gladden our hearts at the spring's first call.
— ^SSLBCTBIX
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CHAPTER IV
SPRING NATURE STUDY
''What prodigies can Power Divine perform
More grand than it produces year by year«
And all in sight of inattentive man?"
In February and March we catch glimpses of the beauty
and the glory ahead, when,
Earth is crammed with heaven.
And every bush alive with God,
But only he who sees.
Puts off his shoes.
—Mrs. Browning.
Nature's awakening is a revelation to young and old, and
furnishes numberless beautiful lessons of -purpose, protection,
and order, lessons of beauty and unity by which the wisdom
and power of the Creator are daily manifested. If, however-^
the unfolding buds, the fresh awakened flowers, and the joy-
ous bird songs cause no thrill of delight in the teacher's soul ;
we may safely assert that she is not ready to guide, to influence
the child, that poetic investigator whose every heart throb is a
response, a greeting to the divine power that quickens the
seed, the bud — ^all things to life and beauty.
The mystery and loveliness of this season, so full of life
and promise, has been interpreted by those whose responsive
insight into nature cannot be questioned and the teacher must
g^o to them for inspiration and uplift. — ^Wordsworth, Tennyson,
Burroughs and a host of others.
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174 NATURE STUDY
Bryant writes :
"My heart is awed within me when I think
Of the great miracle that still goes on
In silence round me — ^the perpetual work
Of the creation, finished^ yet renewed forever."
THE VOICE OF SPRING
I come, I come! ye have called me long;
I come o'er the mountains with light and song;
Ye may trace my step o'er the waking earth
By the winds which tell of the violets' birth.
By the primrose stars in the shadowy grass,
By the green leaves opening as I pass.
I have breathed on the South, and the chestnut flowers
By thousands have burst from the forest flowers,
I have looked o'er the hills of the stormy North,
And the larch has hung all his tassels forth.
And the pine has a fringe of softer green^
And the moss looks bright where my steps have been.
I have sent through the woodpaths a glowing sigh
And called out each voice of the deep blue sky.
— M&s. Hemans.
Find five proofs of the arrival of spring.
I LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF GOD
While blades are breaking through the sod;
Amid the greening dells and hills
I listen to the voice of God.
The earth has passed beneath the rod.
And vales are musical with rills.
While blades are breaking through the sod.
A sound of wondrous joy abroad
Forth issues from a thousand hills;
I listen to the voice of God.
I walk with joy where late I trod,
'Mid snows and rains and wintry chills;
While blades arc breaking through the sod.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 176
Oft, when in weariness I plod
Life's highway, bowed 'neath aches and ills,
I listen to the voice of God.
Reviving glory from the clod
My soul with dreams of rapture fiUs^
While blades are breaking through the sod
I listen to the voice of God.
— D. J. DONAHOB.
Mrs. Hemans asks :
"Have ye not seen Him, when through parted snows
Wake the first kindlings of the vernal green?
Have ye not heard Him, when the tuneful rill
Cuts off its icy chains and leaps away?
In thunders echoing loud from hill to hill?
In songs of birds, at break of summer's day?
Have ye not felt Him while your kindling prayer
Swelled out in tones of praise^ announcing God was there?"
In the spring nature work, train the child to recognize the
evidences of law, order, and sequence while studying the life
story of the plant from seed to seed.
Cultivate in him an abiding friendship for the flowers, the
trees, the birds — for all living things. Nature loved in youth
will prove a blessing and an inspiration in mature life.
GERMINATION
Germination, one of the most fascinating phases of plant
life, appeals to the children with wonderful force and they
should be led to watch with interest the mysterious changes
taking place during the early spring time.
"Each thing upward tends, by necessity decreed,
And a world's support depends on the shooting of a seed!"
Talk with pupils about the signs of spring; snow disappear-
ing, birds returning, and the buds unfolding.
The Laughing Chorus will serve as an introduction to the
planting of seeds.
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176 NATURE STUDY
A LAUGHING CHORUS
Oh^ such a commotion under the ground
When March caUcd. "Ho. there! ho!"
Such spreading of rootlets far and wide.
Such whispering to and fro;
And "Are you ready?" the Snowdrop asked.
" *Tis time to start, you know."
"Almost, my dear/' the Scilla replied;
"I'll follow as soon as you go."
Then "Hal ha! hal" a chorus came
Of laughter soft and low.
From the millions of flowers under the ground-
Yes — ^millions — beginning to grow.
"I'll promise my blossoms," the Crocus said,
"When I hear the bluebirds sing."
And straight thereafter, Narcissus cried,
"My silver and gold I'll bring."
"And ere they are dulled," another spoke,
"The Hyacinth bells shall ring."
And the Violet only murmered, "I'm here,"
And sweet grew the air of spring.
Then "Ha! ha! ha!" a chorusi came
Of laughter soft and low.
From the millions of flowers under the ground-
Yes, millions — beginning to grow.
Oh, the pretty, brave things! through the coldest days.
Imprisoned in walls of brown,
They never lost heart though the blast shrieked loud.
And the sleet and the hail came down.
But patiently each wrought her beautiful dress.
Or fashioned her beautiful crown;
And now they are coming to brighten the world.
Still shadowed by Winter's frown;
And well may they cheerily laugh, "Ha! ha!"
In a chorus soft and low.
The millions of flowers hid under the ground-
Yes — ^millions — beginning to grow.
—From Emerson's Evolution of ExpressiM.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 177
Let children name rootlets they see in imagination spread-
ing far and wide. Name flowers they will be glad to see this
spring. What do the flowers need in order to grow ? Call to
mind last autumn's study of seeds. Tell them about the life
and beauty contained in a seed. Read and discuss with pupils,
"Waiting to Grow" and "The Little Brown Seed in the
Furrow/'
WAITING TO GROW
Little, white snowdrop, just waking up,
Violet, daisy, and sweet buttercup I
Think of the flowers that are under the snow.
Waiting to growl
Nothing so small, or hidden so well.
That God will not find it, and very soon tell
His sun where to shine, and His rain where to go.
To help them to growl
—Author Unknown.
THE LITTLE BROWN SEED IN THE FURROW
A little brown seed in the furrow
Lay still in its gloomy bed^
While violets blue and lilies white
Were whispering overhead^
They whispered of glories strange and rare.
Of glittering dew and floating air.
Of beauty and rapture everywhere.
And the seed heard all they said.
O, little brown seed in the furrow.
At last you have pierced the mold;
And quivering with a life intense.
Your beautiful leaves unfold
Like wings outspread for upward flight;
And slowly, slowly, in dew and light
A sweet bud opens — ^till, in God's sight.
You wear a crown of gold.
—Ida W. Benham, from Arbor Day Manual
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178 NATURE STUDY
Awakening Life in Seedsw— Soak some of the seeds collected
last fall, such as the bean, the pea, the morning*glory, the
pumpkin, and the corn, and let each child discover for himself
the awakening life, and watch the development of roots, stems,
buds, and leaves.
Plant many seeds in window-boxes filled with clean sand,
for observation during the term. Cover boxes with panes of
glass till the seedlings are well started. Make the conditions
different for the same kind of seeds. Keep some warm; others
cool. Plant some in the dark. As soon as the first sprouts
appear above the ground plant another set, and continue this
plan until a series is obtained, ranging from a foot high to
those just beginning to grow.
The growth of the roots may be observed by placing seeds
on a piece of coarse mosquito netting, over a glass dish con-
taining water. Seeds just touch the water.
They may also be grown on moist blotting paper or sponge
for observation.
Place a moist sponge in a jelly glass containing water and
cover with a large inverted glass. If the blotting paper is used
it should be covered, and the seeds should not be exposed to
the light while they are germinating. Pupils will discover that
growing seeds need air, moisture, and warmth.
The lessons on germination are suitable for all children after
they enter school. The treatment, of course, should vary
according to the age and the ability of the pupils.
In the first grade, study bean (Lima) from seed to seed.
Plant the Lima bean edgewise with the eye down.
In the second grade, compare the life story of the bean and
the pea.
In the third and fourth years, acorn, maple, pumpkin, and
others, according to the teacher's judgment.
The children should plant and care for seeds at home and
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 179
report changes in appearance from week to week. Tdl the
children that each seed has a story to tell and we must learn
to read it correctly. Examine seeds several times daily after
placing them in water and decide why they are larger and
softer than the dry seeds.
Watch the changes that are taking place in the seeds planted
in the sponge.
After a week or so pupils will notice the arched stems push-
ing up the soil in the box. Older pupils will see and feel the
truth and beauty of the
following lines : ?TL?l'!!!tr 'Jf»w"^*'i ^ *
^ An inatinct wiUiin it Ui«t reachct and towcn
Why is the stem of the And fioplngbUndly above it for light,
. « . • . fl Climbs to a Mill in the graM and ilowcn.
bean bent into a loop as it -i^owwx
comes up to the light?
Is this the way it protects the tender growing apex? Com-
pare with the pea and com seedlings.
Where did the bean get its first food before it had a leaf or
a root outside the seed coat ? Children may be led to discover
that the bean has the plumule ready formed in the seed, while
the morning-glory seed has not. Why? The bean stored up
food enough to develop the plumule before it formed a root,
while the morning-glory seed has only food enough to enable
the young plant to form its roots.
Compare the bean with the pea, pumpkin, and sunflower in
this respect. Observe the bean seedling backing out of the
ground and straightening up — ^picture the plumule and the
spreading leaves between the cotyledons. Compare with the
pea, the pumpkin, and the corn.
Children should be led to see differences, not told.
Find out what parts of a plant children recognize. By this
time they have observed what each part— coat, cotyledon,
caulicle, and plumule, does for the plant.
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180 NATURE STUDY
Pupils watch the germination of the acorn and compare with
the pine and maple seeds.
Let each pupil care for one or two plants and record by
drawing the first appearance of the root, stem (caulicle), buds,
leaves, etc.
How is the plumule of the bean different from that of the
com? Which of these seedlings has the greatest number of
root hairs? Let each child mark off a square yard of ground
at home and count the different kinds of plants it contains.
SWEET PEA
How does the pea seedling come above the ground ? Do you
find the pea at the end of the stem? What is the use of the
coiling threads or tendrils on the plant? Children furnish
sticks or some support for the peas. Leave two or three un-
supported and see how they behave. They seem so eager to
reach up to the sunlight. Cover one of the unsupported plants
so that the sun cannot reach it.
How are the leaves arranged on the stem? What is the
root doing for the plant ? Measure a plant daily and see how
rapidly it grows.
What is the difference in the appearance of the plant that
was deprived of sunlight and those growing in the sun ? The
vine growing in the dark has a spindling weak stem and the
leaves are small and yellowish. The other plants are strong
and green; their leaves took in a gas (carbon dioxide) from
the air, and the sunlight helped them to manufacture nourish-
ing food.
Count the leaves on a plant. They have so much work to
do. What is the work of the stem? The root? Root, stem,
and leaves all worked together to make the flower.
Watch the bud unfolding. What insects visit the flower?
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 181
The fragrance, the color, and the form of the blossom all
combine to make it very attractive.
The flower is nodding, five-parted, and the shape of the
corolla resembles a but-
terflv The lare-e octal is "^ei* are .weet pew on tip-toe for a flight,
icrny. ine large peiai is with wingi of genUe fluah o'er delicate white,
called the banner, the And taper fingers catching at an things,
two petals on the sides ^oWnd them all about with tiny ring..|^^^^
are the wings, and the
two small petals joined in the middle are the keel petals.
Carefully open a couple of flowers and paste on cards to
show children how beautiful they are. Do not allow pupils to
pull flowers to pieces.
Examine calyx; count the thread-like bodies (ten stamens)
surrounding a long boat-shaped part (pistil) ; nine stamens are
united toward the base (one brotherhood), while the tenth is
separate and free.
Call attention to pollen case at the end of each stamen, and
the flat pistil covered with tiny hairs. Pollen from the stamens
falls on the pistil and when it reaches the seed-box the little
ovules begin to grow. Watch the pod increasing in size.
Children, sketch the pea vine frequently during the term.
Teacher, tell the story of "The Pea Blossom.'"
There were once five peas in one shell; they were green, and the shell
was green, and so they believed that the whole world must be green
also, which was a very natural conclusion.
The shell grew and the peas grew; they accommodated themselves
to their position, and sat all in a row. The sun shone without and
warmed the shell, and the rain made it clear and transparent; it was
mild and agreeable in broad daylight and dark at night, as it generally
is; and the peas, as they sat there, grew larger and larger, and more
thoughtful as they mused, for they felt there must be something for
them to do.
"Are we to sit here forever?" asked one; "shall wc not become
hard by sitting so long? There must be something outside; I feel
sure of it."
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182 NATURE STUDY
And so weeks passed by; the peas became yellow.
"All the world is turning yellow, I suppose," said they, — ^and per-
haps they were right. Suddenly they felt a pull at the shell; it was torn
off, and held in hungry hands, then slipped into the pocket of a jacket,
in company with other full pods. "Now we shall soon be let out/'—
said one, — just what they all wanted.
"I should like to know which of us will travel farthest,*' said the
smallest one of the five; "we shall soon see now."
"Crack!" went the shell as it burst and the five peas rolled out
into the bright sunshine. There they lay in a child's hand. A little
boy was holding them tightly; he said they were fine peas for his
pea-shooter. And immediately he put one in and shot it out. "Now
I am flying out into the wide world," said the pea; "catch me if you
can;" and he was gone in a moment.
"I," said the second, "intend to fly straight to the sun; that is a
shell that lets itself be seen, and it will suit me exactly;" and away
he went
"Wherever we find ourselves we will go to sleep," said the two
next; "we shall still be rolling onwards;" and they did certainly fall
on the floor, and roll about before they got into the pea-shooter; but
they were put in for all that. "We will go farther than the others,"
said they.
The last, as he was shot out of the pea-shooter, flew up against an
old board under a garret window, and fell into a little crevice, which
was almost filled up with moss and soft earth. The moss closed itself
about him, and there he lay a captive indeed, but not unnoticed by God.
Within the little garret lived a poor woman, who went out to work
every day; for she was strong and industrious. Yet she remained
always poor; and at home in the garret lay her only daughter, not
quite grown up, and very delicate and weak. For a whole year she
had kept her bed.
Quietly and patiently she lay all day long, while her mother was
away from home at her work.
PEA WOKE UP
Spring came, ana early one morning the sun shone brightly through
the little window, and threw his rays over the floor of the room.
Just as the mother was going to her work, the sick g^rl fixed her
gaze on the lowest pane of the window. "Mother!" she exclaimed, what
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 183
can that little green thing be that peeps in at the window? It is moving
in the wind." The mother stepped to the window and half opened it.
"OhJ" she said. "There is actually a little pea that has taken root and is
putting out its green leaves. How could it have got into this crack?
Well, now, here is a little garden for you to amuse yourself with." So
the bed of the sick girl was drawn nearer to the window, that she might
see the budding plant; and the mother went out to her work.
** Mother, I believe I shall get well/' said the sick child in the evening;
"the sun has shone in here so brightly and warmly to-day and the little
pea is thriving so well; I shall get better^ and go out into the warm
sunshine again." ''God grant it!" said the mother. She propped up
with a little stick the green plant which had given her child such pleas-
ant hopes of life, so that it might not be broken by the winds; she tied
the piece of string to the window-sill and to the upper part of the
frame^ so that the pea-tendrils might twine round it when it shot up.
And it did shoot up; indeed, it might almost be seen to grow from day to
day. "Now, really here is a flower coming," said the mother one morn-
ing. She remembered that for some time the child had spoken more
cheerfully, and during the past few days had raised herself in bed in the
morning to look with sparkling eyes at her little garden which con-
tained but a single pea-plant.
A week later the invalid sat up for the first time a whole hour, feeling
quite happy by the open window in the warm sunshine, while outside
grew the little plant, and on it a pink pea-blossom in full bloom. The
little maiden bent down and gently kissed the delicate leaves. This
day was like a festival to her.
"Our heavenly Father himself has planted that pea, and made it
grow and flourish, to bring joy to you and hope to me, my blessed
child," said the happy mother, and she smiled at the flower.
But the young maiden stood at the open garret window, with spark-
ling eyes and the rosy hue of health upon her cheeks, and folded her
thin hands over the pea-blossom, thanking God for what he had done.
(Ginn & Co.) —Anderson.
A SEED
I held a little brown flax-seed in my fingers. I dropped it on the
surface of the water in my glass, upheld by a thin layer of cotton-wooL
In a few days white threads descended into the water from that little
seed, and a green shoot rose into the air. Delicate leaves unfolded
above and the threads below became a silky tassel of roots. The pretty
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184 NATURE STUDY
plant grew and throve. Day by day the leaves opened more and more.
Buds and lovely blue flowers appeared, and as the sun shone in my
window upon the growing plant, seeds were born and ripened and the
wonder was multiplied. All had gone on by degrees. Step by step,
cell by cell, it had been built up^ and bud and flower and fruit had come
in due course. So I knew what to expect in my little human plants.
Not the ripe seed all at once; not the perfect conduct nor the whole
lesson at the first trial; but slowly, one by one, thought by thought,
effort by effort, the mind and heart will grow. Surely but gradually,
day after day and year after year, the child will learn and become wise
and good; for this is God's eternal law, that all things grow gradually
in good order, from less to more.
By Permission of Lee & Shepard. —Louisa P. Hopkins.
In March the teacher should distribute seeds — give instruc-
tion in planting— off er prizes for the best plant reared at home,
and assist children in making flower-beds in the school yard.
SOIL
Once a week, or oftener during the spring term, arrange for
"field lessons." The work of water in soil-making serves as
an introduction to earth-study or geography, and can be best
studied in the springtime, after the snow and the ice have dis-
appeared, when the children can see the water at work wear-
ing down hills, and furrowing out valleys.
The brook near the school can be studied as a type of larger
streams.
Let children visit a stream after a heavy rain and find out
why the water is so muddy. Which will a stream carry fur-
ther, fine sand or pebbles? What colors have you seen in clay?
How were the pebbles rounded and polished? Find crumbling
rocks. What causes rocks to crumble ? What is leaf mould ?
Direct attention to the wasting sandstone, the slowly
crumbling limestone, and the washing away of the river banks.
Take home pebbles, crumbling rocks, etc.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 185
The outdoor lessons should be followed by indoor discus-
sions relating to the things studied.
Talk with pupils about the importance of soil. Animal life
depends upon plant life, and plant life depends upon the exist-
ence of soil.
Review what was learned about the expansion of water
when it freezes.
Pupils examine rocks out of doors, and tell what the seams
or fissures are filled with. (Soil, roots, water). Suppose the
seams were larger and more numerous? How can roots break
rocks?
In "Boy Travelers in South America" you will find an inter-
esting account of the way roots pull down walls in the tropics.
Shaler defines soil as the wreckage of the rocks as they
wear down under the action of air, rain, and frost, the roots of
plants, and the stomachs of earthworms.
Pupils, collect specimens of pebbles, clay, sand, quartz, and
limestone.
Pebbles and Quartz
Show pictures of huge rocks. Let children tell what hap-
pens when water freezes in the crevices of rocks.
Children, put pieces of sharp stones in a bottle containing
water, give the stones a thorough shaking backward and for-
ward every day for a week or two, and note the result. Exam-
ine the chipped-off sand grains, under a magnifying glass.
Sand grains vary in color, some being transparent, others yel-
low, others milky white. Sand is used in the manufacture of
mortar, plaster, and glass. Tell children about the beautiful
colored glass made in Venice.
Pebbles are made from sharp stones which are rubbed
against other stones by moving water, making sand, mud, and
gravel.
Quartz is one of the hardest of the common minerals. It is
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186 NATURE STUDY
very abundant. Try to scratch glass with it. How many
colors do you find ? Violet, yellow, rose, smoky, etc. The well
known forms of quartz are amethyst, camelian, flint, jasper,
onyx, and agate. Pure quartz is transparent like glass — ^re-
sembles diamond. Give uses of quartz.
Feldspar
Feldspar has a pearly luster. Its color is usually light, ranging
from white to gray, pink, red, brown, and green. This is the
mineral that gives the granites their characteristic colors.
Clay is in most cases derived from disintegrated feldspar.
Porcelain, china, crockery, and bricks are made out of clay.
Feldspar is softer than quartz, harder than glass. Compare
quartz with mica, and mica with feldspar. Continue the
study of rocks and running water.
Show pictures of waterfalls, rapids, gorges, etc
Read "The Cataract of Lodore" and try to imagine the
wonderful work of water as a sculptor.
EARTHWORMS
He prayeth best who loveth best
All things, both great and smalt;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.
— COLBRIDGS.
Purpose of the Lesson. — ^To encourage outdoor observation.
To call attention to one of the earliest signs of spring.
Preparation. — ^Talk with children about preparing the soil
to make garden, the need of plowing and raking to make it
fine. Tell them we must become better acquainted with a little
animal that is busy in nearly all parts of the world helping to
loosen the earth as the plowman does.
Field Lesson. — Let children find out where and when the
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 187
earthworm works. In what kind of soil? What docs it cat?
How does it crawl ? Find castings on the lawn or in the gar-
den. Estimate the quality of the soil in the castings found in
a space three or four feet square.
Material and Care. — Live worms may be obtained by dig-
ging for them in damp ground ; they may also be found under
boards or stones that have not been disturbed for some time.
Worms can be kept in a large glass jar containing moist earth
covered with dead leaves. Fasten netting over jar.
Presentation — Pour cold water over a piece of glass and let
children see the worms crawling. Notice from day to day
what they do with the leaves. Earthworms are nocturnal, and
the children will be obliged to use a lantern in order to see
them at work out of doors. After a heavy rain is the best
time to watch them.
Let children examine the worms in the jar. Can they see,
hear, and smell? Hide a piece of onion in the bottom of the
jar and see if the worms will find it. Hold a light near the
head of a worm. What did the worm do ? It has no eyes, but
the head end can distinguish light from darkness. The worm
cannot hear at all, but it has a very delicate sense of touch.
Account for the number found on the sidewalks after a rain.
They get lost and dry up before they find a place to burrow.
Body. — ^The body tapers at each end and is made up of ring-
like joints. Each ring has on its under side very small bristles
which help the worm to move over the ground by keeping it
from slipping.
Habits. — ^Worms move easily in loose soil, but find it impos-
sible to pierce through hard or close earth on account of their
soft bodies. They breathe through their skin and need mois-
ture in the air or in their surroundings. Worms devour any-
thing that can be. eaten. They burrow into the soil to a depth
of from three to eight feet. They eat their way through the
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188 NATURE STUDY
ground. Their tiny eggs are found in June near the openings
of the burrows.
Importance of the Work Done by Earthworms.— Shells,
bones» and leaves are constantly being covered with casting^
and these decay and enrich the soil. They take great quan-
tities of leaves into their burrows and convert them into veg-
etable mould. The fine rootlets penetrate the earth to a great
depth, by means of the worm-tubes, and obtain nourishment
from fresh soil. The worms sift and loosen the soil so that the
rain can sink into it and supply the roots with air and moisture.
It has been estimated that there are about fifty-three thousand
worms in an acre of ground and that they bring up about ten
tons of soil to the acre yearly. For interesting facts concern-
ing the work and habits of earthworms read ''Vegetable Mould
and Earthworms," and "The Great World's Farm."
COWPER SAYS :
"I would not enter on my list of friends
(Though graced with polished manners and fine sense,
Yet wanting sensibility) the man
Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.
An inadvertent step may crush the snail
That crawls at evening in the public path;
But he that has humanity, forewarned,
Will tread aside, and let the reptile live."
THE PUSSY WILLOW
The middle of March is a good time to surprise the "pussies."
Aim. — ^To emphasize protection.
Field Lesson. — ^Take children to the willows.
Direct attention to the signs of spring.
Material. — Branches of the pussy willow in jars of water in
a cool place. It is desirable to gather twigs from several wil-
lows in order to secure the two kinds of flowers. Staminate
and pistillate.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 189
Preparation. — Call attention to the long winter's rest. Why
did your mother give you warmer clothing for the winter than
you had during the summer? We must examine the buds and
see how they were prepared for the cold weather.
Read and discuss the following poem to direct the chil-
dren's thoughts:
Perhaps you may think, because I am buttoned
And folded and wrapped in my little' cloak so,
That I always dress this way in all sorts of weather^
With never a frill or a ruffle to show.
But it's only because I have come out so early.
That only Jack Frost and the winds are astir.
They're hard on the dresses, but under my wrappings
Is my pretty new party dress hidden with fur.
—Selected.
Plan of Work.— Give each child an opportunity to observe
the tough, varnished scales on the outside, the silk and fur
next to the scales, and the long hairs which help to protect the
buds. When the buds develop call attention to the pistils on
the green (pistillate) catkins and the powder on the yellow
(staminate) catkins. Let children draw stems and watch their
development in water. Shake some of the pollen on the cat-
kins containing the ovules and explain the importance of this
yellow powder. Remind children that the two kinds of catkins
are not found on the same shrub.
How do the seeds out of doors manage to get the pollen?
Pupils may suggest the wind. Lead them to see that the wil-
low containing pistillate catkins may not be near the willow
with staminate catkins and the wind might not blow in the
right direction when the pollen is ripe. Take children to the
willows some day and find an answer to this question.
The color and fragrance of the willows attract the attention
of many insects very early in the spring before the other flow-
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190 NATURE STUDY
crs venture above the ground. Children discover many bees
on the catkins; they are smaller than honey bees and their
bodies, especially the head and thorax, are covered with hairs.
What do they get from the flowers? What do they give?
They look as though some one had sprinkled them with
"gold dust." The pollen grains are as precious as gold to the
flowers.
. Use of Hairs on the Bee's Body. — ^They gather up the pollen
from the stamens and take it to the pistils containing the
ovules, — they exchange pollen for nectar.
Find a tree or shrub that has been cut down to the earth;
the new twigs develop rapidly into strong branches.
Let children stick willow twigs into moist ground near
school or home and report observations. Examine fibrous
rootlets growing from nodes of the twigs kept in water.
Thrust a few branches into the earth upside down. Break
branches to test strength and toughness. Direct attention to
color of bark and the arrangement and shape of the leaves and
pods. The opening seed pods are very pretty; each seed
appears with a plume of long silky hairs to help it fly away
to a new home and give it a chance to become a large willow.
Characteristics of the Willow Family. — Stamens and pistils
are separate and borne on different trees and shrubs.
Difficult to classify because two trees must be studied id
order to decide one species, and the trees are not always near
together.
The leaves are simple, feather-veined. In color, many va-
rieties of greens, ranging from blue to yellow.
Many species are satisfied with almost any kind of soil if
they have plenty of water. The willow finds its greatest com-
mercial value in the manufacture of wicker work. The catkins
appear before or with the leaves. Nearly all the willows have
soft, pliant, tough wood.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY Wl
Important Points to Impreti:
Beauty of the catkins. Protection of buds. Leading
thought. Stamens and pistils on different shrubs. How the
flowers help the bees. How the bees help the flowers. Deco-
rate board with pictures of pussy willow. Let children pic-
ture branches and catkins frequently.
Now sweet and low, the south wind blows.
And through the brown fields calling goes
"Come. Pussy! Pussy Willow!
Within your dose brown wrapper stir!
Come out and show your silver furl
Come, Pussy! Pussy Willow!"
— Sblbctxd.
TERMS USED IN DESCRIBING BUDS
Buds, As to Position:— -
Terminal : At the end of the twig.
Lateral : Along the sides of the twig.
Axillary : In the leaf-axil ; that is the upper angle between
the leaf and the stem.
Adventitious: Buds produced irregularly on the branch or
tmnk.
Accessory : Buds clustered about the axillary buds.
Nodes are the points on the stem at which the buds are
produced.
Internodes are the spaces between the nodes.
As to Arrangement:—
Opposite : Two at the same node and opposite.
Whorled : Three or more arranged around the same node.
Alternate : In ranks along the stem, not being opposite or
whorled.
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192 NATURE STUDY
EASTER DRAWETH NEAR
Willow branches whit'ning 'neath the April skies;
Sodden meadows bright'ning, where the warm sun lies,
Robin Red-breast swinging, in a tree top high.
Swollen brooklets singing— Easter draweth nigh!
Tender fledgelings hushing, eager to take wing;
Trees and hedges flushing, with the joy of spring.
Crocus buds up-springing, through the cold dark sward.
Living incense bringing, to the the risen Lord.
— Maky M. Rbdmond.
EASTER TIME
Pteparation. — Let children get acquainted with the Pasque
Flower in natural surroundings.
Review "The Laughing Chorus" and emphasize the awaken-
ing of all life after the winter's rest. Study of poem.
OUR PASQUE-FLOWER
The winter snows were hardly gone.
When in her robes of fur
The pasque-flower came to cheer our hearts
We ran to welcome her.
We knew her in her soft gray cloak.
Her purple silken gown,
And in the sunshine, too, we saw
Her dainty golden crown.
"Oh, tell us, little flower," we cried,
"How dared you come so soon?
The winds are cold. The other flowers
Will scarce be here till June."
"I came because the boys and girls
Were waiting for the spring.
I knew it would seem nearer if
I helped by blossoming.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 198
'1 wrapped me in my warm fur coat,
I donned my purple gown,
And borrowed sunshine from the skies
To wear upon my crown.
"I gathered courage then, and pushed
The soft brown earth aside;
For, since the warm spring sun had come
What need to longer hide?
"I came to tell you how God's care
Had kept the tiny sttd.
And that he cares much more for you.
Will you my message heed?*'
—From Arnold's JVaymarks for Teachers,
Copyright, 1894, by Silver Burdett & Co.
In England it was once the custom to use this flower in
coloring eggs for Easter. When did the flower make its ap-
pearance? How was it dressed? Why did it come? Repeat
last stanza.
Bring an Easter Lily to the school-room and give the chil-
dren an opportunity to feel the silent influence of this messen-
ger of love and joy.
Christ it was who disdained not the use of objects and symbols,
remembering that it was the childhood of the race. He it was who
spake in parables and stories, laying bare soul of man and heart of
nature, and revealing each by divine analogy. He it was who took the
little ones in His arms and blessed them.
— Kate Douglas Wiggin.
Children plant bulbs and watch development. The lily appeals
to the soul with more force than any other flower.
Repeat: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:
they labor not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not
even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these."
The children saw the butterfly spread its wings from the
chrysalis and the dragon fly come forth from the grub-case.
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194 NATURE STUDY
Is it possible that the pure white lily with its heart of gold was
contained in the ugly brown bulb?
Teacher, read poem to direct children's thoughts.
EASTER
Oh! the lilies are white in the Easter light.
The lilies with hearts of gold;
And they silently tell with each milk-white bell.
The story an Angel told
And they've whispered it long to the weak and the strong.
The rich and the poor among men;
Each Easter day till time dies away
They will tell the tale again.
In the tomb new-made where the Christ was laid.
The Angel told the story,
Of how he rose from death's repose.
The Son of Eternal Glory.
Donahoe^s Magasine. —Margaret E. Jordan.
What story did the angel tell? Emphasize the spiritual
meaning of the lilies. Explain last stanza.
Teacher, read the story of the Resurrection in the Bible
The artists and the poets will help children to realize the sig-
nificance of this great event in the world's history. Compare
Bethlehem and Galilee. Recall the song of the angels at
Bethlehem.
THE LILY OF THE RESURRECTION
While the lily dwells in earth.
Walled about with crumbling mould
She the secret of her birth
Guesses not, nor has been told.
Hides the brown bulb in the ground.
Knowing not she is a flower;
Knowing not she shall be crowned
As a queen, with white-robed power.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 196
Though her whole life is one thrill
Upward^ unto skies unseen,
In her husks she wraps her still.
Wondering what her visions mean.
Shivering, while the bursting scales
Leave her heart bare, with a sigh
She her unclad state bewails.
Whispering to herself, "I die."
Die? Then may she welcome death.
Leaving darkness underground.
Breathing out her sweet, free breath
Into the new heavens around.
Die? She bathes in ether warm;
Beautiful without, within,
See at last the imprisoned form
All its fair proportions win I
Life it means, this impulse high
Which through every leaflet stirs.
Lo! the sunshine and the sky
She was made for, now are hers!
Soul, thou too art set in earth.
Heavenward through the dark to grow;
Dreamest thou of thy royal birth?
Qimb! and thou shalt surely know.
Shuddering Doubt to Nature cries,— -
Nature, though she smiles, is dumb, —
"How then can the dead arise?
With what body do they come?"
Lo, the unfolding mystery!
We shall bloom, some wondrous hour.
As the lily blooms, when she
Dies a bulb, to live a flower!
—Lucy Larcoic.
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196
NATURE STUDY
EASTER
Lydia Avery Coonlby.
Jessie L. Gaynor.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 197
1. Snow-drops, waking from your sleep,
Violets^ that from blue hoods peep,
Bloodroot, blooming by the rill,
Stately lily, daffodil,—
What sweet message do you bring?
Is it only: "This is Spring?"
2. Snow-drops, violets, lilies white.
In the answer all unite:
"Through the mold we heard a voice
Calling to the earth: 'Rejoice!'
So we left the ground to rise,
Offring incense to the skies."
3. Little birds the chorus swell.
Humming bees the tidings tell.
Butterflies lift shining wings,
Ev'ry child with gladness sings;
With the flow'rs rejoicing^ say:
"Christ is ris'n on Easter day!"
Permission from "Songs in Seasons," of A, Flanagan Co., Publishera.
Make a special study of this poem :
NATURE'S EASTER-MUSIC
The flowers from the earth have arisen.
They are singing their Easter-song;
Up the valleys and over the hillsides
They come, an unnumbered throng.
Oh, listen! The wild flowers are singing
Their beautiful songs without words!
They are pouring the soul of their music
Through the voices of happy birds.
Every flower to a bird has confided
The joy of its blossoming birth —
The wonder of its resurrection
From its grave in the frozen earth.
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198 NATURE STUDY
For yott chirp the wren and the sparrow^
Little Eyebright, Anemone pale!
Gay Columbine, orioles are chanting
Your trumpet-note, loud on the gale.
The buttercup's thanks for the sunshine
The goldfinch's twitter reveals;
And the violet trills, through the bluebird.
Of the heaven that within her she feels.
The song-sparrow's exquisite warble
Is bom in the heart of the rose—
Of the wild-rose, shut in its calyx.
Afraid of belated snows.
And the melody of the wood-thrush
Floats up from the nameless and shy
White blossoms that stay in the cloister
Of pine-forests, dim and high.
The dust of the roadside is vocal;
There is music from every clod,
Bird and breeze are the wild-flowers' angds.
Their messages bearing to God.
"We arise and we praise him together 1"
With a flutter of petals and wings.
The anthem of spirits immortal
Rings back from created things.
And nothing is left wholly speechless;
For the dumbest life that we know
May utter itself through another
And double its gladness so!
The trees have the winds to sing for them;
The rock and the hill have the streams;
And the mountain the thunderous torrents
That waken old Earth from her dreamt.
She awakes to the Easter music;
Her bosom with praise overflows;
The forest breaks forth into singing.
For the desert has bloomed as the rose.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 199
And whether in trances of silence
We think of our Lord arisen.
Or whether we carol with angels
At the open' door of his prison.
He will give us an equal welcome
Whatever the tribute we bring;
For to Him who can read the heart's music
To blossom with love is to sing.
—Lucy Larcom.
What flowers have arisen? Where are they to be found?
What arc they doing? Repeat third stanza. What can you
tell about the birds and the flowers named in the poem ? What
did each flower tell a bird? The birds and the flowers have
many beautiful messages for poetic souls.
Wordsworth says:
The birds pour forth their souls in notes
Of rapture from a thousand throats.
Emerson writes:
"I thought the sparrow's note from heaven,
Singing at dawn on the alder bough."
"That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture."
— B&OWNING.
"To me, the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears."
—Wordsworth.
Who are the wild flowers' angels? Who sings for the trees?
the rock and the hill? the mountain? Give the pictures in
order. What effect has the Easter music on the earth? Give
the meaning of the last two stanzas.
THE STAR THAT BECAME A LILY
Once a beautiful star came down to earth. For a long time it had
watched the children at play in the green fields, and the star said, "I
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200 NATURE STUDY
love those little Red children, I would like to go down and live with
them."
So one night the star shot down« down, till at last it stood out upon
a big plain. The people in the wigwam village saw it, and ran to
look at it.
"I have come, O good people/' said the star, ''to dwell with you on
the earth. I love to watch you in your wigwams. I love to see you
make your birch canoes. I love to watch your children at their play.
Tell me, then, where I may dwell. It must be where I can see you all,
and where at night I can look up to my homo in the skies."
Then one chief said, ''Dwell here upon the mountain top; where you
can overlook the plain. The clouds will come down and rest upon the
high peaks, and each morning you may greet the sun."
"Dwell here upon the hillside," said another chief, "for there the
flowers grow brightest, and the sun is warmest."
"Dwell in the forest," said a third chief, "for there the sweet violets
grow, and the air is cool, and the smell of spruce is in the air."
But the star thought the mountain was too far away, as it could not
see the children from such a height, and it was they it wanted to be
near.
The hillside, too, the star thought, was far away, and the forest, it
was sure, was too dark and dreary.
But one day, the star saw a beautiful little lake. The water was very
clear, — one could see the skies and the clouds in it. At night the stars
shone down into its waters. The water was soft and warm, and the
star was pleased to see it ripple and dance. It liked to see the sun-
light glimmer on the waters.
The children loved the lake, too; they played all day on its banks,
and often paddled out upon it in their little canoes.
"I will dwell right here," the star said, "for then I can be near the
children."
And so, when the sun had set, the star floated down upon the waters.
It sent its rays away down beneath the waters; and the Red children
thought these rays took root, for the very next morning there was a
beautiful lily upon the waters. Its roots reached away down into the
rich earth, its petals were pure white, and it had a heart of rich yellow
gold.
"No flower has a perfume so sweet," the children cried.
Then they rowed out to look at it.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 101
"It is the star/' the children said; "it will dwell with us forever, and
we will call it the Lily Star."
Then the children rowed back to the shore. They did not pluck
the lily, but each morning they went to see it
"Dear, beautiful lily!" they would say.
By and by it opened wide its petals; and the air was filled with
sweetness.
Then other lilies grew up around it; and after a time these Water
Lilies, or Lily Stars, as the children called them, were floating on the
waters of the lake everywhere.
—Dorothy Brooks.
Children, reproduce story after free discussion. Sketch hill-
side, mountain, lake, etc.
FLOWER-DE-LUCE
In the twelfth century King Louis made this flower the
national emblem of France ; he strewed it on his son's mantle
at the coronation in the Rheims cathedral.
Iris is the classical name. Blue Flag is the common name.
Let children visit a marshy meadow some day and get ac-
quainted with the Flower-de-luce.
Take home two or three plants.
Examine the rhizome, the strong, sword-like, parallel-veined
leaves guarding the purple flower. Observe the three arching
petals and the three sepals, each sepal bearing a tuft of yellow
fuzz arranged to catch pollen.
Observe also three more petal-like parts, the stigmas of the
three-cleft pistil.
Let older pupils study the "Flower-de-luce." Longfellow
will help them to see the beauty of this common flower.
Visit the Blue Flag in its home again after having studied
the poem and the legend, "Iris," and see the reeds, rushes, and
dragon-flies.
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90S NATURE STUDY
THE RAINBOW QUEEN
A great many yean ago, when even grown-up people were not very
wise, they used to look up to the mountains and wonder if their tops
teached the sky. Sometimes a big cloud would rest upon a mountain-
top, and when the sun shone upon it, this cloud would look like gold.
Sometimes rain would fall from the cloud, even when the sun shone
upon it, and then the beautiful rainbow would shine out. By and by
these people, called Greeks, began to think that a great king dwelt
upon the mountain-top. They named this king Jupiter. They thought
the golden cloud was his palace. Of course, there was a beautiful queen
in the golden palace; they named her Juno. She had many princes and
princesses about her, who loved her and were always glad to serve her;
but of all the princesses, none were so beautiful as Iris. For her the
queen made a rainbow bridge, and no one but Iris was allowed to step
upon the beautiful arch. There are many old Greek stories about this
princess and her journeys to the earth over the rainbow bridge. One
of them is about a flower^ that is named after her.
IRIS
Princess Iris loved the waters of the earth, for in them she cotdd
always see the bright rainbow colors of her own magic bridge. One
day she wished to come down, to wander by the bright waters of tke
rivers and lakes. So she wrapped herself in a red and purple cloudy
and stepped into her golden chariot drawn by two handsome peacocks,
whose splendid tails spread out in the sun and shone like the colors
in the rainbow itself. On her way, she shook water-drops from the
clouds to see them sparkle in the light, as they went splashing down
upon the earth. Down she came to the earth, and by the side of a
lake, she stepped from her golden chariot. Here she found blue flow-
ers, growing stately and tall. ''As blue as the blue waters of the sea,**
she cried. She bent over the bright blue flowers, and touched their
petals. Down from her hair the raindrops fell; straight down upon one
petal of every flower. And there they are sparkling and shining to this
very day, showing the colors of the rainbow when the warm sun shines
down upon it. Soon after that some children went down to the water
to play. "See, see!" they cried, "a blue flower, as blue as the blue in
the rainbow. Iris herself must have been here. Here are her own
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 203
beautiful colors." And so, to this day, the tall blue flower that grows
by the water's edge, half hidden among its own sword-like leaves, is
called Iris, in memory of Iris, ''the rainbow queen."
—Adapted From the Story as Told by Mara Pratt.
Study of poem.
FW>WBR-DB-LUCB
Beautiful lily, dwelling by still rivers,
Or solitary mere.
Or where the sluggish meadow-brook delivers
Its waters to the weir!
Thou laughest at the mill, the whir and worry
Of spindle and of loom.
And the great wheel that toils amid the hurry
And rushing of the flume.
Bom in the purple, born to joy and pleasance.
Thou dost not toil nor spin.
But makest glad and radiant with thy presence
The meadow and the lin.
The wind blows, and uplifts thy drooping banner.
And round thee throng and run
The rushes, the green yeomen of thy manor.
The outlaws of the sun.
The burnished dragon-fly is thine attendant.
And tilts against the field.
And down the listed sunbeam rides resplendent
With steel-blue mail and shield.
Thou art the Iris, fair among the fairest.
Who, armed with golden rod
And winged with the celestial azure, bearest
The message of some god.
Thou art the Muse, who far from crowded cities
«. Hauntest the sylvan streams,
Playing on pipes of reed the artless ditties
That come to us as dreams.
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204 NATURE STUDY
O flower-de-luce, bloom on, and let the river
Linger to kiss thy feet!
O flower of song, bloom on» and make forever
The world more fair and sweet. .
— H. W. Longfellow.
The home of this flower? Do you see the "still river"? the
meadow brook? the mill-race? the great mill-wheel toiling to
store up force from the river to do its g^eat work? Observe
some of the delicate fabrics in dress goods. What is the color
of royalty? Without noise or worry the flower obtains
strength from the river to weave a dress far surpassing in
beauty the work of the mill-weaver. Why does the flower
laugh at the mill?
In the fourth stanza Longfellow refers to feudal times when
the majority of the people flocked to the banners of the lords
or knights to serve and protect them. A lord or knight was
often defended by bands of outlaws. The rushes crowd around
the flower to protect it. Do they remind you of soldiers?
Why? Dragon-fly tilts against the field — ^tilt refers to a mil-
itary exercise of thrusting with a lance — ^a tournament. Mail
— defensive armor. Iris was Juno's messenger. Read legend
Iris. Muse : The sweet music played on the reed pipes beside
the streams were supposed ages ago to inspire the poets. Why
called flower of song? How long has it been a national emblem?
BIRDS
SWEET WARBLERS
Sweet warblers of the sunny hours.
Forever on the wing,
I love thee as I love the flowers.
The sunlight and the spring.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 206
In the green and quiet places.
Where the golden sunlight falls,
We sit with smiling faces
To list their silver calls.
And when their holy anthems
Come pealing through the air,
Our hearts leap forth to meet them
With a blessing and a prayer.
Amid the morning's fragrant dew.
Amidst the mists of even,
They warble on as if they drew
Their music down from heaven.
^Birds and AU Nature.
Copyright, 1900, by A. W. Mumford.
In order to prepare the children to watch with interest the
spring work in bird land, it will be advisable to have them
examine a few typical nests. They cannot fail to be impressed
with the wonderful skill and ingenuity exhibited in the con-
struction of bird homes found in every locality.
Read:
THE EMPTY NEST
We found it under the apple tree
Torn from the bough where it used to swing.
Softly rocking its babies three,
Nestled under the mother's wing.
This is the leaf all shrivelled and dry
That once was a canopy overhead;
Doesn't it almost make you cry
To look at the poor little empty bed?
All the birdies have flown away;
Birds must fly or they wouldn't have wings,
Don't you hope they'll come back some day?
Nests without birds are lonesome things.
—Emily Miller.
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306 NATURE STUDY
Secure, if possible, a nest made by the Baltimore oriole.
Where was it found? Lead children to see the advantage of
this position. Why is this little hammock so closely woven
and compact at the bottom ? What tools had the bird to work
with? Take the nest to pieces and notice the material used.
While examining the nest of this artistic weaver the children
are amazed to see the knots tied so securely and the cord, hair
and milkweed fibre woven together so skillfully.
The nest of the humming-bird is also a model of artistic skill,
a small cup about half the size of a hen's egg, made of a white
felt-like substance covered with g^ay lichens as beautiful as its
owner. The nest of the wood pewee closely resembles the
humming-bird's and is more easily found. Compare the nest
of the robin or bluejay with the oriole's or pewee's nest.
Colored pictures of birds, such as those issued by Nature
Study Publishing Co., will be found exceedingly valuable in
familiarizing children with the bird's form, color, and environ-
ment. The metallic colors, glossy plumage, and delicate mark-
ings of many birds will be more fully appreciated by examin-
ing stuffed specimens, but as they suggest the loss of life, col-
ored pictures and outdoor observation, combined with a study
of the living specimens brought to school occasionally (pigeon,
canary, parrot, and chicken), will prove more desirable for
children in the lower grades.
In the spring of the year the birds wear their brightest
plumage and sing their sweet- ^^^ HUMMING-BIRD
est songs. Their activity while « a fla.h of himiess lightning,
selecting a suitable spot and a mitt of rainbow dyes,
suitable material for the nevr J^Zl^uS:^.^"""'^*
home affords children an excel- johkb.tabb,p.s>
lent opportunity to observe their »«*"» M*y««'^ co.
most interesting habits at this season. Encourage children to
watch daily for their arrival.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 207
"Cleaving the clouds with their moon edged pinions.
High over city and vineyard and mart;
April to pilot them; May speeding after;
And each bird's compass his small red heart."
—Edwin Arnold.
THE BLUE BIRD
Every one loves the bluebird. It is because he is so gentle,
modest, brave, and useful. He is called the color-bearer of the
spring songsters, the banner-bearer of Birdland, the minstrel
of April, and Mabel Osgood Wright says he is a model citizen.
He belongs to the Thrush family.
Song. — ^Teach the children to distinguish his liquid note in
the spring choir. Burroughs tells us that he calls, Bermuda !
Bermuda! or Purity! Purity!; other admirers think the plain-
tive warble sounds like. Dear ! Dear ! Think of it ! Think of it !
What message has he for your ears?
This is Eben Rexford's tribute:
THE BLUE BIRD
Listen a moment, I pray you; what was that sound that I heard?
Wind in the budding branches, the ripple of brooks, or a bird?
Hear it again above us! and see a flutter of wings!
The blue bird knows it is Aprils and soars toward the sun and sings.
Never the song of the robin could make my heart so glad;
When I hear the blue bird singing in spring, I forget to be sad.
Hear it! a ripple of music! sunshine changed into song!
It sets me thinking of summer when the days and their dreams are long.
Winged lute that we call a blue bird, you blend in a silver strain
The sound of the laughing water, the patter of spring's sweet rain.
The voice of the winds, the sunshine, and fragrance of blossoming things.
Ah! you are an April poem, that God has dowered with wings!
~£bbn Eugbnb Rbxford.
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208 NATURE STUDY
Appearance.— -Let children discover the following facts:
The bluebird is smaller than the robin and larger than the
canary. The throat and breast are a reddish brown with white
feathers on the under side of the body and the back and wings
are a clear bright blue.
Nest.— It chooses a bird house made by some friend, a hole
in a tree or post, the deserted nest of a woodpecker; almost
anything that will afford protection will do.
The eggs are light blue, four to six in number.
Pood. — Fruit, spiders, and all sorts of injurious insects.
It generally remains with us until very late in autumn. Be-
fore it leaves us its song is very sad and plaintive.
Compare the bluebird with the robin.
Give gems of bird poetry ; connect the work with the read-
ing, language and literature.
Who called the bluebird the angel of the spring? The
peace harbinger? Who said, "The warble of this bird is inno-
cent and celestial like its color?"
Read "Wake Robin"— Burroughs.
IN APRIL
April is here!
Listen, a bluebird is caroling near!
Low and sweet is the song that he sings.
As he sits in the sunshine with folded wings.
And looks from the earth that is growing green
To the warm blue skies that downward lean.
As a mother does, to kiss the child
That has looked up into her face and smiled.
Earth has been sleeping and now she wakes
And the kind sky-mother bends and takes
The laughing thing in her warm embrace.
And scatters her kisses over its face.
And every kiss will grow into a flower
To brighten with beauty a coming hour.
'Eben Eugenb Rbxpord.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY
THE BLUE BIRD
ao9
High up in the clear sky flies the bluebird, among the first to herald
the coming spring. He flies swiftly above the clouds, in sunshine and
in storm, singing a joyous carol. His wings are the color of the deep
blue sky, and here he and his tribe stay with their cheerful song from
March to October^ first to come, and last to go, and always finding
something to be happy about^ even in the early spring or the late
autumn. He is like the cheerful and trustful soul that pursues its on-
ward flight above the clouds of trouble through the clear sky of love
and trust. It sings its sweetest songs when the cold winds of discour-
agement and disappointment blow about its path. It reaches its home,
at last, safe and happy because trusting in God's care, and finds its
shelter and food, though the whole earth looks empty and barren. It
flies at the call of God^ who never misleads it, but guides it through
the trackless air safely to the very place where it would go. * • * •
By permission of Lee & Shepard. —Louisa P. Hopkins.
BIRDIES IN THE GREENWOOD
Frou Koehles
A. Weber.
\§^n^ n ni: i \\ n\ \\\ I
N J'< J' l f f' l f t H/ I ^r^'l
Birdies in the greenwood
Sing so sweet and clear.
Of the merry sunshine
And the flowers so dear.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la«
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, etc.
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210 NATURE STUDY
2 Birdies in the greenwood
Built their little nest.
Never do disturb them.
In their place of rest.— Cho.
3 Birdies in the greenwood
Sing themselves to sleep.
With each head tucked under.
Snug and warm they keep. — Qio.
From Songs, Games and Rhymes, by Eudora Hailmann. By permis-
sion of Milton Bradley Co. and Thomas Charles, Chicago, Publishers.
SONG SPARROW
TTie song sparrow in his plain brown dress will return very
early in an ecstacy of delight. What news does he bring?
Thousands of visitors are on the way dressed in the loveliest
colors. Song sparrow is telling the trees, the children in par-
ticular, and everyone in general.
How is he dressed? Above, he is brown and g^ay with
many stripes. Beneath, gray, slightly striped with dark form-
ing two spots on his breast; his head, wings, and tail are
brown. He has a short, thick, brown bill.
Habits. — He is a sweet singer and pours out his song early
and late until he changes his dress in August. In a few weeks
he begins again and continues until November. The nest is
made of dry grass and is placed in a secluded spot on the
ground or in a low bush. The four or five speckled eggs are
very pretty.
Read:
"BIRDS CANNOT COUNT"
First Boy.
Six eggs there were, in the nest of a bird,
Under four brown wings' protection.
"Now, 'birds can't count,' " said John, "I've heard."
And so, without saying another word.
He took one for his collection.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 211
Second Boy,
Five eggs there were in the sheltered nest
Karl knew from John's direction^
"As 'birds cannot count' " said Karl " 'tis best
To take one of these to go with the rest
Of the kinds in my collection."
Third Boy.
Four eggs there were in the nest on the tree.
Said Dick: "Upon reflection.
As 'birds cannot count/ I think it will be
No harm to them and just right for me.
To take one for my collection."
Fourth Boy,
Three eggs there were in that harassed nest; —
And I don't know what connection
There was to the thoughts in the poor birds' breast
If birds cannot county— but they left the rest.
For anybody's collection.
Att,
Oh, egg-collectors, don't you suppose
You might have some slight objection.
Though you should forget how to count, if those
Who look at your treasures, should, as they chose.
Each take one from your collection.
— Popular Educator,
I It is claimed by the Directors of the New York Zoological
I Park that our birds have decreased forty-six per cent, during
I the past fifteen years in thirty states and territories.
I According to this report it is certainly time to make an extra
effort to draw the birds closer about our homes by providing
shallow dishes of water, nesting places, materials for nest
building, etc.
Olive Thorne Miller tells us that a robin has been known to
dip herself in water, fly directly into the dust of the street and
then pick off the mud from her feet and feathers. A pan of
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212 Mature study
mud placed in a convenient spot would save the bird this
trouble. Strings, twine, yarn, etc. would also be appreciated
for building purposes by many of our sweet singers.
It is to be hoped that Shelly's prediction may soon be ful-
filled:
"No longer now the winged habitants.
That in the woods their sweet lives sing away^
Flee from the form of man; but gather rounds
And prune their sunny feathers on the hands
Which little children stretch in friendly sport
Towards these dreadless partners of their play."
— From Demon of the World.
ROBIN
In March, remind children to watch for Robin Redbreast
with his calm, dignified air. Report when and where he is first
seen.
Describe his spring dress. — Olive gray above, with long,
slender, brown wings; brick-red breast; throat, black and white;
head and tail black, and bill, yellow.
Song.— He is up before daybreak and makes the woods ring
with his cheerful song — "Cheerily, cheerily, cheer up, cheer
up I" What is his call note? "Quick! Quick!" Many people
imagine that he says during the day, "Do you think what you
do?" Children listen for his rain song.
Habits. — Call attention to his movements. He hops or runs
along in the yard and turns his pretty head from right to left
and listens. Every few minutes he pulls up a worm. His
flight is rapid, straight, and decided. He eats grubs, worms or
insects until the fruit is ripe. His legs are of medium length
and his four toes are placed on a level. He is a percher.
Nest.— Children watch, if possible, the robins carrying sticks
and straws for the foundation, then the mud for plastering, and
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 213
finally moss or grass for lining. How long did it take to build
the nest ? Did they begin early ? Did they sing while at work ?
Where do they build? In a hedge, strong vine or tree? Teacher
sketch nest with eggs. Blue-green. Generally four in number.
Children memorize poem:
THE BUILDING OF THE NEST
They'll come again to the apple-tree —
Robin and all the rest —
When the orchard branches are fair to see.
In the snow of the blossoms drest;
And the prettiest thing in the world will be
The building of the nest
Weaving it well, so round and trim«
Hollowing it with care, —
Nothing too far away for him.
Nothing for her too fair, —
Hanging it safe on the topmost limb.
Their castle in the air.
Ah I mother-bird, you'll have weary days
When the eggs are under your breast.
And shadow may darken the dancing rays
When the wee ones leave the nest;
But they'll find their wings in a glad afnaze.
And God will see to the rest.
So come to the tree with all your train
When the apple blossoms blow;
Through the April shimmer of sun and rain.
Go flying to and fro;
And sing to our hearts as we watch again
Your fairy building grow.
—Margaret Sangstbr.
What is the character of our little friend? Cheerful, con-
fiding, industrious, and brave. Fights jays, squirrels, and
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214 NATURE STUDY
other enemies in defense of young. Sings early and late, even
in the rain. Builds near our homes, sometimes in porches.
Teacher, tell stories and read poems about the robin. Lead
children to see the birds with the poet's eye.
ROBIN'S RETURN
Robin on the tilting bough,
Redbreast rover, tell me how
You the weary time have passed
Since we saw and heard you last.
"In a green and pleasant land.
By a summer 'sea-breeze fanned,
Orange trees with fruit are bent, —
There the weary time Tve spent"
Robin^ rover, there, no doubt.
Your best music you poured out;
Piping to a stranger's ear.
You forgot your lovers here.
"Little lady, on my word,
You do wrong a true-hearted bird!
Not one ditty did I sing,
'Mong the leaves or on the wing.
In the sun or in the rain;
Stranger's ears would list in vain.
If I ever tried a note.
Something rose up in my throat
" *Twas because my heart was true
To the North and springtime new;
My mind's eye, a nest could see
In yon old, forked apple tree!"
—Edith Thomas.
Note. — It is said that the robin does not sing during its winter stay
in the South.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY
S16
WE ARE RED BIRDS
Moderate.
'^tf r f ' ^ i '' g
^
I' ■ r i r I J i f t -fm
^^
i
We are red birds, we are red birds,
So fearless and bold;
We are out in all weather.
And fear not the cold.
We are blue birds, we are blue birds.
So pretty and light;
We are busy, we are happy,
Be the sky dark or bright.
We are orioles, we are orioles;
Our nests are hung high.
Where the soft breezes sing ut
A soft lullaby.
We're canaries, we're canaries.
We care not to roam;
We love our kind friends.
And stay always at home.
We are humming-birds tiny,
Deep purple our breasts,
'Mid the blossoms so fragrant
We build our small nests.
^From Songs for Little Children, Eleanor Smith.
By permission of Milton Bradley Co. and Thomas Charles,
Chicago, Publishers.
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216 NATURE STUDY
CRADLE SONG
What does little birdie say
In her nest at peep of day?
"Let me fly," says little birdie;
"Let me rise and fly away."
"Birdie^ rest a little longer.
Till the little wings are stronger."
So she rests a little longer.
Then she flies away.
What does little baby say
In her bed at peep of day?
Baby says, like little birdie,
"Let me rise and fly away."
"Baby, sleep a little longer.
Till the little limbs are stronger,"
If she sleeps a little longer.
Baby, too, shall fly away.
— Alfexd Tftmnrsoir.
BIRD GAME
(For this game divide the children into six groups, letting each group
represent one kind of bird. The children, in their seats, sing or recite
the first verse together and then all fly away to some selected part of
the school-room. The first group flies back to place, sings or recites
its verse and then sits down. The other groups folh>w in order, and
when all are seated the last verse is given in concert, after which all the
children fly freely about the room for a time, playing birds, being birds,
and dramatizing bird life according to inclination and ability).
Brave little Snow-birds in white and gray I
Summer is coming so we cannot stay!
The place for our 'nesting is far in the North,
You think it is cold here, but it is our South.
We are Tree Creepers, so speckled and small.
We were almost the last to go south in the fall;
We were almost the first to come back, and you see
We go creeping around and around up the tree.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 217
We are Crackles, so shiny and black;
We wonder if farmers are glad we are backl
They will hear our gay chatter from night until mom
As we keep a sharp eye on their wheat and their com.
And now Robin Redbreast comes back with the spring.
On the high tree-tops he'll whistle and sing.
He knows everybody is happy to see
Both him and his mate on her nest in the tree.
Blithe, bonny Bluebirds the south wind has sent.
Each hoping to find a new bird-house to rent.
Or else a snug hole in a post, fence or tree.
Where wee baby Bluebirds well sheltered may be.
Gay flashing Orioles, whistling clear.
Tell you that springtime is certainly here.
We wait for the elm-leaves to cover the nest
On the high swaying branches which we love the best
Swift darting swallows way up in the sky
Tell that the summer is very dose by.
Frosts must be over and warm weather come
Before we risk leaving our safe southern home.
Now the days are full of music I
All the birds are back again;
In the tree-tops, in the meadows.
In the woodlands, on the plain.
See them darting through the sunshine I
Hear them singing loud and clear I
How they love the busy springtime.
Sweetest time of all the year!
— Kathsrine Beebb. Primary Education.
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218 NATURE STUDY
SNAILS
Aim.— 'To lead children to observe habits and adaptation of
structure to environment.
To awaken an interest in soft-bodied . animals. (MoUusks).
Preparatory Work. — ^Talk with pupils about the kinds of
material used in building homes for people, birds, and other
animals. Ash children to look under leaves, stones, and logs in
damp, shady places for snails and shells.
MateriaL— Living snails, together with some of the leaves
or other food they like, in a glass jar with damp earth.
Deserted shells of different sizes and colors.
Plan of Work. — Direct attention to the color and form of
snail shells. Are people's houses all of the same color? same
shape ?
Children g^oup shells according to color. The owners of
the white houses have been dead some time, no doubt, because
their homes look as though they needed painting.
Are people's houses all made of the same material? Pour
strong vinegar or acid on different substances, as granite or
quartz. What happens when it is poured on the snail shell?
It bubbles or effervesces. This tells us that the material con-
sists of lime-carbonate.
Shape. — ^The shell is spiral. Each turn is called a whorl;
the largest one is the body whorl. The spaces between the
whorls are the sutures, and the upper part is the spire. The
apex is the tiny shell that covered the young snail. Place the
shell containing the living snail upon a piece of warm glass, or
in a glass of tepid water, and the little creature will be likely
to make his appearance.
The frugal snail, with forecast of repose.
Carries his house with him where'er he goes;
Peeps out^ and if there comes a shower of rain,
Retreats to his small domicile amain.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 819
Touch but a tip of him, a horn,— 'tis well,—
He curls up in his sanctuary shell.
He's his own landlord, his own tenant; stay
As long, as he will, he dreads no quarter-day;
Himself he boards and lodges; both invites
And feasts himself; wheresoe'er he roams
Knock when you will, he's sure to be at home.
— Charles Lamb.
How does the snail walk? Look on the under side of the
glass and watch his broad muscular foot which creeps along
with a gliding motion. As it travels it covers the glass with
slime or mucus from its body.
How does it eat? Let children feed the snail peavine, toad-
stool, cabbage, etc. It has a long, ribbon-like tongue covered
with points that serve the purpose of teeth. The snail moves
the ribbon backward and forward against the upper jaw until
he cuts his food.
Where are the eyes? Notice the four feelers, two of which
are much shorter than the others. The eyes are situated at the
ends of the long feelers.
How does the snail breathe? The little creature has a
brfeathing hole, under the edge of the shell, which leads to a
small sac or lung in the mantle.
Habits. — Lives on decaying leaves and other vegetable mat-
ter and can easily be found crawling about after a rain. The
young hatch from eggs. The shells of young snails are trans-
parent. In the fall the snail withdraws into its shell, seals up
the opening by a layer of slimy mucus which forms a thin mem-
brane. It hibernates during the winter and when spring comes
it opens its door and stretches out its head. .
Lead children to see how well adapted the hard shell is to a
soft bodied animal.
Children, bring cowry, conch, and other ornamental shells from
their homes and observe their exquisite beauty.
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820 NATURE STUDY
"See what a lovely shell!
Small and pure as a pearL
Frail, but a work divine.
With delicate spire and whorl;
A fiiirade of design.
The tiny cell is forlorn
Void of the little living will
That made it stir on the shore;
Did he stand at the diamond door
Of his house in a rainbow frill?
Did he push when he was uncurled
A golden foot of a fairy horn.
Thro' his dim water world?" — Tbnnysoh.
Uses.— 'In European countries, especially in France and
Italy, several kinds of snails are used for food and are very fre-
quently pictured on the sign-boards of restaurants. In Paris
it is estimated that one hundred thousand pounds of snails are
eaten daily. In Pompeii great heaps of shells may be seen.
POND SNAILS
The pond snail may be kept in a jar of water. The general
form of the shell is like a cone and is composed of vs^horls.
This snail has two feelers and the eyes are situated at the base
of the feelers. The little animal finds it necessary to come to
the surface of the water for fresh bubbles of air occasionally.
Compare with garden snail. Let children picture shells. The
clam, mussel and oyster shells divide into two parts and are called
bivalves. The snail and its relatives having but one shell are
called univalves.
I have seen
A curious child who dwelt upon a tract
Of island ground, applying to his ear
The convolutions of a smooth-lipped shell;
To which, m silence hushed, his very soul
Listened intensely; for from within were heard
Murmurings whereby the monitor expressed
Mysterious union with its native sea. — Wordsworth.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 221
Stxtdy of poem.
THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS
This is th» ship of pearl, which, poets feign.
Sails the unshadowed main, —
The venturous bark that flings
On the sweet summer wind its purpled wings
In gulfs enchanted, where the Siren sings,
And coral reefs lie bare.
Where the cold sea-maids rise to sun their streaming hair.
Its webs of living gauze no more unfurl;
Wrecked is the ship of pearl 1
And every chambered cell.
Where its dim dreaming life was wont to dwell.
As the frail tenant shaped his growing shell.
Before thee lies revealed, —
Its irised ceiling rent, its sunless crypt unsealed!
Year after year beheld the silent toil
That spread his lustrous coil;
Still, as the spiral grew.
He left the past year's dwelling for the new.
Stole with soft step its shining archway through.
Built up its idle door.
Stretched in his last-found home, and knew the old no more.
Thanks for the heavenly message brought by thee.
Child of the wandering sea.
Cast from her lap, forlorn!
From thy dead lips a clearer note is bom
Than ever Triton blew from wreathed horn!
While on mine ear it rings.
Through the deep caves of thought I hear a voice that sings: —
Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul.
As the swift seasons roll!
Leave thy low-vaulted past!
Let each new temple, nobler than the last.
Shut thee from heaven -with a dome more vast.
Till thou at length art free.
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!
— Oliver Wendell Holmes.
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222 NATURE STUDY
The poet once wrote a letter to the Cincinnati school chil-
dren in which he said, "If you will remember me by 'The Cham-
bered Nautilus/ 'The Living Temple' and 'The Promise/ your
•memories will be a monument I shall think more of than any
bronze or marble/' "The Chambered Nautilus" was his favor-
ite. He wrote the last stanza in the album of Princess Louise.
Why called Nautilus ? Why "poets feign" ? "The animal fre-
quents deep waters, and though it is occasionally found at the
surface, it sinks upon the least alarm, so that it has been rarely
captured, although the shell is so common/' — Elements of
Zoology. Why "venturous bark"? It is not afraid to sail on
its purple wings into enchanted gulfs. Sirens — ^sweet singers
in the ocean that were supposed to lure to destruction. Not
afraid of coral reefs or mermaids. What was the result of
this fearlessness and daring?
"Why "dim, dreamy life"? The Nautilus and all other mol-
lusks have few nerves. Compare with the activity of birds.
Why "irised ceiling" ? Iris rainbow queen — ^note color of shells.
"Silent toil" and "lustrous coil" — explain. What did the poet
hear while studying the shell? Heavenly message. Tritons
were the bold trumpeters of the sea-god Neptune.
What is the message? The meaning? It told the poet to
grow. Let every year be a mansion with a more beautiful
dome. Live nearer to God. Then death will be leaving an
outgrown shell. Commit last stanza.
THE FROG
Material. — ^A live frog in a large glass jar containing a sod
of grass. Cover jar with coarse netting.
Some frog's eggs in a jar of water. Care should be taken
not to place too many eggs in the jar and not to expose eggs
to direct sunlight.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 228
Pupils should be encouraged to assist the teacher in procur-
ing material for class work. In March or April tiny dark eggs
enclosed in a gelatinous membrane may be found in the shal-
low water of ditches and along the edges of ponds.
Habits and Structure. — Let the children bring in a variety
of live insects. Many destructive kinds can easily be found.
Watch the frog eating his dinner. How many insects did he
catch in a minute?
The tongue is very curious. It is two-forked and has its
base in front instead of at the back of the mouth. The tip
points toward the throat and is covered with a thick, sticky
substance resembling glue.
Notice the broad, short body and the large triangular head.
Let the children study the frog's movements in a large dish
of water. Direct attention to the limbs, — hind limbs long, each
foot five-toed and webbed ; the fore limbs short, each foot four-
toed. Watch the frog leaping when taken from the water.
Compare movements of rabbit and frog.
Let children notice the difference in color of the back and
the under portion of the body. Compare with color of sur-
roundings near ponds and streams. Who can think of a use
for the green and brown coloring? Blends with surroundings.
How many have seen frogs diving into the mud to escape from
their enemies ? How many have seen them eating worms ?
Notice the large projecting eyes and the small piece of thin,
tight skin back of each eye, stretched over a hard ring that
forms the ear-drum.
Breathing. — ^The frog breathes by means of his skin as well
as by his lungs. He closes his lips, expands the cavity of the
mouth, and draws air in through his nostrils. He swallows
air as a person swallows food, and if his mouth were kept
open any length of time he would suffocate.
Where are the frog's teeth? Open his mouth carefully and
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224 NATURE STUDY
pass your fingers along the upper and lower jaws and find out
Why do frogs frequent ponds and ditches? Without plenty
of moisture the skin dries and shrinks and the frog soon dies.
In the winter they find a resting place in the mud, and sleep
there securely until the return of spring. How many have seen
the frog shedding its coat? Imitate the frog's croak. Notice
the position a frog takes while at rest ; while jumping.
Frogs destroy large numbers of slugs and insects and serve
in their turn as food for other animals. Fishes, birds and
snakes devour thousands of tadpoles and frogs. In Europe
and America frogs' legs are sold for food.
In studying the life history of the frog we seem to have
before us the life of two different animals. Its place of abode,
its habits, its food, and even its structure, are different in the
early period of its existence from what they are later. Develop
facts by questioning.
Eggs. — The children have been watching the development
of the eggs.
What is the use of the jelly-like mass in which the eggs arc
deposited ? It not only protects the eggs from cold and from
being washed away, but it serves as food for the life it con-
tains. As soon as the children see the little wigglers in the
jar they should provide them with a few water plants.
Notice the small tufts (gills) on each side of the head which
enable the tadpole to breathe in the water.
Observe change in the shape of the body, appearance of the
legs, hind ones appearing first. The body continues to change
shape, the tail is absorbed, the legs grow longer, and in place
of gills, lungs are formed ; our tadpole has become a frog and
is ready for the land.
Compare tadpole with frog in regard to structure and habits.
If two jars were arranged, one with frogs' eggs and the oAer
with toads' eggs, (toads' eggs are found in strings and are some-
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 226
what darker in color than frogs' eggs) the comparison would
certainly prove interesting.
A record of the dates of changes in appearance from day to
day placed on the blackboard will lead to careful observation.
Compare frog with toad.
Let children study frogs and toads in natural environment.
Watch to see the toad shedding his warty skin and report
observation.
THE WIND
Lead children to talk about the wind. What is wind?
From which direction is the wind blowing to-day? In what
way does spring differ from winter?
What work has the wind to do in spring?
The wind melts ice and snow ; brings the rain clouds ; wakens
the life in roots, seeds, and buds, and drives the clouds away.
What work has the wind to do in autumn ?
Let children tell about the wind shaking down the leaves
and nuts, scattering seeds, etc.
When does a windmill turn most rapidly? Of what use is
the wind to sailors? What results to air, water, and iron
when heated? Why do soap bubbles rise? Name all the uses of
wind that you know. Question pupils to incite continued
observation.
Children memorize:
THE WIND
I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass—
O wind, a-blowing all day long I
O wind, that sings so loud a songl
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226 NATURE STUDY
I saw the different things you did.
But always you yourself you hid.
I felt you push^ I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all —
O wind, a-blowing all day longl
O wind, that sings so loud a songl
O you that are so strong and cold,
O blower, are you young or old?
Are you a beast of field or tree«
Or just a stronger child than me?
O wind, a-blowing all day long!
O wind, that sings so loud a songl
—Robert Louis Stevenson.
By Permission of Rand, McNally & Co.
Children memorize:
SWEET AND LOW
Sweet and low, sweet and low.
Wind of the western sea.
Low, low, breathe and blow.
Wind of the western seat
Over the rolling waters go
Come from the dying moon and blow,
Blow him again to me;
While my little one, while my pretty one sleeps.
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest.
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest, on mother's breast.
Father will come to thee soon;
Father will come to his babe in the nest.
Silver sails all out of the west
Under the silver moon;
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.
•—Tennyson.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 227
For reproduction after discussion :
ORPHEUS, A MYTH OF THE SOUTH WIND
In the land of Thrace lived, years ago, one who was called Orpheus.
He was the sweetest singer ever known. His voice was never loud,
but low and sweet and soft
When men heard this voice all anger ceased, and they thought only
thoughts of peace.
Orpheus went into the woods one day and took nothing but his lyre
with him.
No quiver of arrows was on his back nor hunting spear at his side.
He sang and sang till the birds flew down on the ground about him,
and seemed to think that a creature with such a voice must certainly be
another kind of bird.
A wildcat came slyly creeping between the trees, trying to catch the
little feathered friends. Orpheus took his lyre and the wildcat became
as tame as the birds. They all followed Orpheus farther into the
forest
Soon, from behind a rock, a tiger sprang to attack the wildcat The
birds and the wildcat called to Orpheus. When he saw the trouble he
took his lyre again and, while he sang, the tiger came trembling and
purring to his feet, and the birds, the wildcat, and the tiger followed
Orpheus into the forest.
He sat down by a tree to rest and the honey bees came and showed
him where their honey was hidden in the tree. He fed his friends and
himself, and the tiger led the way to the river« where there was the
purest water.
Trees bent low before him, and young trees tore themselves from
the ground and followed in his train.
Foul waters parted, so that Orpheus and his band might pass through
unharmed, for they knew no longer any evil thing.
Before they reached the river of pure water, to which the tiger was
leading them, a lion, fierce with hunger, sprang madly at his old enemy.
Orpheus took his lyre and played so wonderfully, that even the pine
trees sighed with sorrow, and the lion loosed his hold on the tiger, and
his voice changed from a growl to a wail, and he, too, followed the
sweet singer of Thrace. At the river, birds, wildcat, tiger, and lion
drank together with Orpheus, with not one thought of harming each
other.
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NATURE STUDY
"We arc tired/' said the birds. "Let us stey here by this river," and
Orpheus agreed. The birds flew to the trees, while the others tried to
rest on the huge rocks by the shore, but these were jagged and rough.
They would give no rest to anyone.
When Orpheus began to play, the hardest rocks were stirred. They
rolled over and over into the river, and in their places the softest beds
of white sand were ready for them all. Orpheus rested, with the lion
and the tiger for his night watchers, and the wildcat asleep in the
tree with the birds.
In the morning, the lyre sounded again, and the strange company
wandered away, happy to be near Orpheus. The three wild beasts had
fed together on the river mussels and forgot that they had been life-
long enemies.
Orpheus had said, before he entered the forest, that he was tired of
men and their quarrels; that wild beasts were easier to tame than angry
men; and so he had found it these two days in the forest
He took his lyre and played and sang a sweet wild song of love and
peace, and, overhead, the leaves and branches of the oaks danced and
waved for joy of living. Not one growl, not one quarrel was heard
even where the echoes of the music went, for even the rocks answered
the voice of Orpheus, and ever]rthing was at peace.
Then came the sound of the hunting dogs. The lion raised his
shaggy head, but put it down again. A green light came into the eyes
of the tiger and of the wildcat The dogs came nearer. Orpheus played
on his lyre and the dogs came and lay down at his feet, but the
hunters went home without their prey. That night Orpheus led them
all back to the paths where he found them, and went home to his cave
in Thrace.
For years, hunters told, over their camp fires, strange stories of a
tiger and a lion who lived together in the deep forest, and of a wildcat
with eyes like a pet fawn.
Sometimes, even in these days, it seems as if Orpheus were singing
again.
When the wind strikes the trembling wires there comes sweet music
The pine trees sigh, and leaves and branches of the forest trees dance
as in the days when Orpheus first went into the woods of Thrace.
When the South wind blows, sounds like the lyrt of Orpheus come
to us from these trembling leaves.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 189
When the South wind comes; Earth's voices become low and sweet,
and the birds sing soft melodies to greet its coming.
The old books tell us that Orpheus was but the South Wind.
—Mary Cathbrinb Judd.
(Rand, McNally ft Co.) Adapted.
SPRING FLOWERS
Stedman says of Lowell: "It does me good to see a poet
who knows a bird or flower as one friend knows another, yet
loves it for itself alone."
Approach the spring flowers with the higher thought of
their symbolism.
'They sleep in dust through the wintry hours.
They break forth in glory with the spring's warm showers."
Here is a sweet poem which will help the children to appre-
ciate the loveliness of the anemone when they find it nodding
to them in its home in the woods.
Nothing sweeter is to me, than the wind anemone.
Lifting up her fair, pink face, in some lonely, wildwood place.
dildren in the April days, when you search the hillside ways.
Search the valleys through and through, for buttercups and violets blue.
Here and there you'll surely see, pretty wind anemone.
In her simple, pale green gown, and her dear eyes looking down.
Then with me I pray you say: sweetest flower I've found to-day,
Tjrpe of grace and purity, lovely wind anemone!
By Mary Grant O'Sheridan.
Have several plants dug up carefully and taken home as a
contribution to the wild-flower garden in the school-yard. If
children cultivate flowers they will soon learn to appreciate
their beauty.
ANEMONE
This plant has a slender stem and three compound leaves,
forming a pretty vase for the one white flower tinged with
pinkish purple. The anemone has no petals. Let children ex-
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230 NATURE STUDY
amine seeds and root-stock (rhizome). Discuss work of root,
stem, leaf, and flower. Sketch plant. Repeat poem on "Flow-
ers" by Mary Howitt.
THE BLOODROOT
Children find this frail flower in April in the damp woods.
Examine the rhizome or root-stock growing horizontally,
filled with red, acrid juice. Leaf comes up from the ground
clasping the flower-bud. The blade is rounded, margin lobed,
and base deeply heart-shaped.
Flower loses its sepals as soon as it opens. The pure white
petals open only in the sunshine. Sketch the plant and com-
pare it with some flower previously studied.
THE BLUE VIOLET
I know blue modest violets.
Gleaming with dew at mom —
I know the place you came from«
And the way that you were born!
When God cuts holes in heaven,
The holes the stars look through.
He lets the scraps fall down to earth,
The little scraps are you.
— Phoebb Gary.
Request children to look for violets early in the spring, and
see who will be first to bring one to school.
Field Lesson. — Home of the violet?
Why did the leaves come before the flowers?
The leaves, with the help of the sun, prepare food for the
flowers and other parts of the plant.
Take home several plants and observe their growth in the
school-yard. Describe root, leaf, and flower.
Children sketch and paint the violet.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 281
Hamilton Gibson says :
''We cannot all be scientists or explorers, but we can at least learn to
lend an answering intelligent welcome to those little faces that smile' at
us from among the grass and withered leaves, that crowd humbly about
our feet, and are too often idly crushed beneath our heel. The darkest
pathless forest is relieved of its gloom to him who can nod a greeting
with every footstep; who knows the pale dicentra that nods to him in
rettirn; who can call by name the peeping lizard among the moss, the
pale white pipe among the matted leaves, or even the covering mould
among the deep debris."
— From Highways and Byways.
Copyrighted in 1882 by Harper and Brothers,
CHORUS OF THE FLOWERS
I am the honeysuckle with my drooping head.
And early in the spring time I don my dress of red.
I grow in quiet woodlands, beneath some budding tree;
So when you take a ramble, just look at me.
I am the dandelion, yellow, as you see.
And when the children see me they shout fof glee.
I grow by every wayside, and when I've had my day
I spread my wings so silvery, and fly away.
When God made all the flowers, he gave each one a name;
And when the others all had gone, a little blue one came,
And said, in trembling whisper, "My name has been forgot,"
Then the good Father called her Forget-me-not.
A fern the people call me, I'm always clothed in green;
I live in every forest— You've seen me oft I ween.
Sometimes I leave the shadow to grow beside the way;
You'll see me as you pass some nice, fine day.
I am the gay nasturtium, I bloom in gardens fine;
Among the grander flowers, my slender stalk I twine.
Bright orange is my color, the eyes of all to please.
I have a tube of honey for all the bees.
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282 NATURE STUDY
I am the little violet, in my purple dress;
I hide myself so safely, that you'd never guess
There was a flower so near you, nestling at your feet;
And that is why I send you my fragrance sweet.
— Lucy Whbblocs.
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
(INDIAN TURNIP.)
By the time Jack-in-the-Pulpit makes his appearance we
realize the force of the following lines :
The year's at the spring
And day's at the mom;
Morning's at seven;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in his heaven —
All's right with the world.
— ROBB&T BrOWNIKG.
In this lesson emphasize the symbolism of flowers and lead
pupils to image Whittier's poem.
PteparatioiL — Informal talk with children about the work
of the sun and the rain in waking up the flowers. Which
flowers answered the call first? How many of the children
have become acquainted with the little flower-preacher?
Field Lesson. — ^Visit Jack in his home, give him a cordial
greeting and thank him for making his appearance so early.
Find out about his home life, his friends, and his work.
Direct attention to the beauty of his surroundings; carpet
green, decorated with many colors; ceiling blue, white, and
gray— constantly changing.
Why called Jack-in-the-Pulpit?
After the children have become acquainted with the flower
and discussed its environment they will enjoy the poem.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY «33
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT
Jack-in-the-pulpit preaches to-day
Under the green trees just over the way.
Squirrel and song-sparrow, high on their perch.
Hear the sweet lily-bells, ringing to chorch.
Come, hear what his reverence, rises to say,
In his low, painted pulpit, this calm Sabbath day.
Fair is the canopy, over him seen.
Penciled by Nature's hand, black, brown and green.
Green is his surplice, green are his bands.
In his queer little pulpit, the little priest stands.
In black and gold velvet, so gorgeous to see.
Comes with his bass voice, the chorister bee.
Green fingers playing, unseen on wind-ljrres —
Low singing bird voices — ^these are his choirs.
The violets are deacons — I know by the sign
That the cups which they carry are purple with wine;
And the columbines bravely as sentinels stand
On the lookout with all their red trumpets in hand.
Meek-faced anemones, drooping and sad;
Great yellow violets, smiling out glad;
Buttercups' faces, beaming and bright;
Qovers, with bonnets — some red and some white;
Daisies, their white fingers half clasped in prayer;
Dandelions, proud of the gold in their hair;
Innocents, — children, guileless and frail,
Meek little faces upturned and pale;
Wildwood geraniums, all in their best.
Languidly leaning, in purple gauze dressed; —
All are assembled this sweet Sabbath day.
To hear what the priest in his pulpit will say.
Look! white Indian pipes on the green mosses lief
Who has been smoking profanely so nigh?
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234 NATURE STUDY
Rebuked by the preacher, the mischief is stopped;
But the sinners, in haste, have their little pipes dropped.
Let the wind, with the fragrance oS fern and black birch.
Blow the smell of the smoking^ clean out of the church.
So much for the preacher; the sermon comes next.
Shall we tell how he preached it and what was his text?
Alas! like too many grown-up folks who play
At worship in churches, man builded to-day.
We heard not the preacher expound or discuss;
But we looked at the people, and they looked at us.
We saw all their dresses, their colors and shapes.
The trim of their bonnets, the cut of their capes.
We heard the wind-organ, the bee and the bird.
But of Jack-in-the-Pulpit we heard not a word.
— Whittier's Child Lift,
Examine the pulpit, the canopy, the decorations. Are all
the canopies "penciled" alike? Do you see "sentinels" here?
"lily bells ?" How many of the flowers named in the poem can
you find? Which is your favorite? Why? What message
do you think Jack has for the flowers and trees in his neighbor-
hood? They seem well pleased, even the great trees bow
approvingly.
Do you hear the music? wind lyres? the bird choir?
Children tell what they think the birds say. "Cheer up!
cheer up ! Spring of the year. Quick ! Quick !" etc.
Dig up two or three flowers in different stages of develop-
ment and plant in a window "Brery flower to a Wrdhms confided
I. T11M A *i J The joy of ita blossoming birth-
box. Jack likes damp soil and The wonders of iU resurrection
a shady nook. After an infor- Prom its grave in the fro.en earth.
mal talk about the plant as a 'We arise and we praise Him together
. With a flutter of petals and ¥rings,
whole, direct attention to the The anthems of spirits immortal
work of root, stem, leaves, and Rings Uck from created Oiing.."'
flower. The underground part of the plant is enlarged into
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 236
a solid bulb called a corm. It contains starchy matter and is
acrid in taste. Let children picture the plant as a whole.
Our little declaimer is shaded by an arched roof and also
by the large green leaves. Encourage the children to study
the plants in their true home— damp soil in the woods. Ob-
serve the small flies that exchange pollen for nectar. Note the
frill of fine hairs that point toward the honey cells. How
will the fly get out of the flower?
The flowers that have seed cases will soon have berries.
Watch the plants and find the red berries after awhile.
The Flower. — ^The spadix bears the flowers. In some flowers
the spadix contains pistils only, and some, stamens only. The
showy envelope (spathe) serves as a "sounding board" for the
little preacher. Sounding boards are often seen in churches
over pulpits to increase the resonance of the speaker's voice.
Jack always has a crowd of listeners.
The starch in many species of this plant is used as food. It
furnished the stiffening for the immense lawn ruffs worn in
the days of Queen Elizabeth.
THE ROSE
Aim. — ^To develop a love for a flower that is interwoven with
all poetry and art — ^the queen among flowers.
To learn about the plant as a whole, the relation and work
of its parts and its history.
Preparatory Work. — Lead pupils to talk about the beauty
of flowers. Read poems to give direction to their thoughts.
Help pupils to interpret: .• Earth l. cammed wlUi heaven.
In May, direct children to ob- And every bush aUve with Ood,
serve the shrub, find and report ""'^L'^'^^:^...
where it grows, general appear- -BaowKXHo.
ance, environment, height of shrub, kind and arrangement of
leaves, appearance of buds, etc. Two or three days before the
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286 NATURE STUDY
field lesson a few questions may be asked which can be answered
only by a study of the plant in its home.
Field Lesson. — Observe plant as a whole. Give each child
something definite to find out for himself. Give a few general
questions to all the children. Find out how many of this
plant's neighbors the children know. Which is the most use-
ful? Which is the most beautiful? Recall the lessons on
apple blossoms. Tell children that the rose and the apple
blossom are members of the same family. Let children dis-
cover resemblances and differences. Find a shrub well filled
with buds and blossoms. By conversation lead pupils to dis-
cover the beauty of color, form and use. Observe visitors.
Has the plant enemies ? Dig up two or three rose bushes and
take them to the school-room or school-yard for study. The
parts of the plant should be considered from the standpoint
of function.
Root. — Is a rose bush hard to pull? Examine root and re-
view function.
Stems. — ^Uses, height, shape, size, color, compare prickles
with the thorns of the thorn apple.
Leaves. — ^Uses of leaves, arrangement on stems, kind, leaf-
lets venation, etc.
Flowers. — Number, position. Describe the flower, parts of
corolla, calyx, stamens and pistils.
Fruit. — Examine the fleshy red fruit, generally called hip.
Examine the thorns or prickles.
What is their use ? Rabbits peel bark from trees and shrubs
in the spring time. Would they be likely to injure shrubs
with thorns?
EiZpressiocL — Children, sketch plant as a whole. Paint
branch containing leaves, buds and blossoms. Children com-
mit:
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 237
"The rose has one powerful virtue to boast.
Above all the flowers of the field ;
When its leaves are all dead and its fine colors lost,
Still how sweet a perfume it. yields."
Compare the wild rose with garden varieties. Tell children
that the rose was a great favorite with the Greeks and Romans.
It was customary for warriors to wear wreaths of roses. Nero
caused showers of roses to be sprinkled on his guests at ban-
quets. This flower suggested silence and a rose hanging over
a guest table was a hint that conversation was to be "sub
rosa.'' In later years the rose was dedicated to the Madonna
and in Dante's Paradise she is called the "Mystic Rose."
The Attar of Roses, an oil of great fragrance, is distilled from
this flower. Forty thousand flowers are required to make an
ounce, which sells for one hundred dollars. About one hundred
and twenty species of roses grow wild in the whole world, while
the garden varieties are numbered by thousands.
Pupils picture roses related to the bush. Let children ob-
serve a beautiful rose and teacher read :
AND YOU SWEET ROSE
Ahl crimson rose,— deep fused with gold,
Your perfumed heart rare secrets hold!
Unfold your petals, flower most fair^
And tell me what lies hidden there!
Your rosy lips— what would they speak?
What says the dew-drop on your cheek?
Within your heart lurks there a tear.
The while you smile upon me, dear?
Smile on, smile on, while yet you may-
Have no regrets for yesterday!
Live for to-day, my crimson rose!
To-morrow, ah! Your radiance goes
Forth with the sands in Time's frail glass—
And you, sweet rose, must fade— alas!
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NATURE STUDY
Not from my memory shall yoti die —
V^thin my breast enshrined youll lie
Forever more. • • •
— Agnbs Hslbn Loceakt.
A week ago the sparrow was divine;
The bluebird shifting his light load of song
From post to post along the cheerless fence.
Was as a rhymer ere the poet come;
But now, O rapture I sunshine winged and voiced.
Pipe blown through by the warm wild breath of the West
Shepherding his soft droves of fleecy cloudy
Gladness of woods, skies, waters, aU in one.
The bobolink has come, and, like the soul
Of the sweet season vocal in a bird,
Crurgles in ecstasy we know not what
Save June! Dear Junel Now God be praised for June.
From Under the IVithws.'-l^WMLL,
FERNS
Visit the wcxxls with pupils in May or early June and see the
growing ferns. A few tufts, root-stock and all, should be taken
to the school-room.
The Osmund Fern is very common. Wordsworth says :
That tall fem^
So stately of the queen Osmunda named
Plant lovelier, in its own retired abode
On Grasmere's beach, than Naiad by the side
Of Grecian brook.
The root is of many fibers with branches numerous, short,
and spreading.
The stem is subterranean, a thick dark colored rhizome liv-
ing many years (perennial).
When starting from the ground in early spring each leaf or
frond, as it is called, is rolled from the top inward and down-
ward, gradually unfolding as it grows.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 239
Observe the brown wool which serves to protect the leaves
against changes of temperature.
The fern has no flowers. It is reproduced by means of
spores which are borne on the leaflets.
Compare with Maiden Hair Fern and with flowering plants.
In what particulars do they agree? diflfer?
Plant ferns near school and watch development. Remember
the kind of soil they like best.
Picture ferns.
THE GRASSES
SONG OF THE GRASS BLADES.
"Peeping, peeping, here and there.
In lawns and meadows everywhere;
Coming up to j&nd the springy
And hear the robin redbreast sing.
Creeping under children's feet,
Glancing at the violets sweet,
Growing into tiny bowers^
For the dainty meadow's flowers: —
We are small, but think a minute
Of a world with no grass in it."
The grasses are by far the most useful of all plants. They
are everywhere to be seen carpeting meadows, hills and valleys
with their soft beautiful green. Our cereals — wheat, oats,
rye, barley and Indian com — are simply cultivated grasses.
Field Lesson. — Visit a grass plot. Let children make a col-
lection of pretty grasses for the school-room table.
Count the number of stalks growing in a square foot of
meadow.
What part of the stalk is the hardest and strongest? On
ivhat part of the stem are the nodes closest together? Break
a stem. Have all the grasses hollow stems ?
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240 NATURE STUDY
The jointed, hollow stem is called a culm. Can you find
branching culms? Have grasses flowers? Are the flowers
fragrant ? bright colored ? Are they visited by insects ? Watch
and decide. Examine the leaves. Compare shape and venation
with leaves previously studied.
Dig up some of the sod, take home, wash soil out of it and
examine roots.
Children, name different places where grasses are found
growing.
"Here I come creeping, creeping everywhere;
By the dusty roadside,
On the sunny hillside,
Qose by the noisy brook.
In every shady nook,
I come creeping, creeping everywhere."
The grasses, by their many roots, hold the soil together and
prevent it from being washed away — most grasses are peren-
nials. Find the tiny stamens in the chaff-like scales? Find
pistils. Most of the grasses are fertilized by the wind. They
furnish food and shelter for cattle, horses, sheep, birds and
insects.
Timothy is one of the very common varieties. The flowers
grow on a long spike, cylindrical in shape. The root looks
like a small bulb. Picture and compare with clover.
Timothy seed was brought to this country from Europe
many years ago by a man named Timothy Herd.
Sweet Vernal Grass. — Examine root, culm, leaves and flow-
ers. The internode is very long, the leaf blade and sheath are
very short.
Note the adaptation of the flowers to wind-fertilization — the
long stamens and stigmas — ^the beautifully balanced tremulous
anthers. Compare Timothy with Sweet Vernal Grass.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 241
THE DANDELION
"There surely is a gold mine somewhere underneath the grass,
For dandelions are popping out in every place you pass.
But if you want to gather some you'd better not delay.
For the gold will turn to silver soon and all will blow away."
-^Selected.
The dandelion's golden discs may be found near the home
and school from early spring until late in autumn and children
admire this common flower as much as many older people
dislike it.
Preparatory Worker— Give children definite questions to an-
swer by studying the plant. Let them pull up a dandelion.
Was it hard to pull ? What change takes place after it is taken
from the earth unless kept in water? Cover a growing plant
in the yard and compare its appearance after a couple of
weeks with one growing in the sun. Examine the flowers
after dark. Children tell why they like the dandelion. They
have curled the hollow stems, made chains of the blossoms, and
by blowing away the seeds found out when "mother calls."
MateriaL— Two or three plants in different stages of devel-
opment growing in window boxes. Children observe changes
from day to day. A couple of whole plants in glass jars of
water.
Root.— Direct attention to the strong central root and the
number of branches extending in every direction. Compare
root of a plant that has formed seed with one that has not.
Why has one so much milky juice and the other so little ? The
plant that has ripe seed has a spongy root. Milky juice used
in making seeds.
Sum up Uses of Root
Holds the plant firmly in the earth.
Central thickened root stores up food for all parts of the
plant.
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242 NATURE STUDY
The fine rootlets take up nourishment from the earth.
Leaves.— -Lead children to discover that the leaves form a
rosette around the buds and flowers. The leaf is oblong in
shape and the margins are cut into large lobes.
Let children find dandelions growing among high weeds
and compare with those growing in open places ; the leaves are
flat on the ground in open places, and extend upward to catch
the sun's rays among the tall weeds.
Call attention to the large vein in the middle of the leaf to
guide rain to the roots. Show by experiment that growing
leaves give off watery vapor. Fit a piece of oilcloth or heavy
paper under the leaves of a plant growing in the sunshine and
cover with a glass jar; moisture collects on inner surface of
jar. Recall experiment with morning-glory. Watery vapor
passes through the breathing pores of the leaves.
Sum up the Work of Leaves
They protect the buds and flowers. Direct water to the
roots.
Breathe for the plant.
With the help of the sun they make food for the plant.
The seeds are very dainty, but the strong old trees will send
a warm blanket of leaves, and later the snow will cover leaves
and seeds until the warm sun and the spring rains awaken
them from their long sleep. Read "November," by Alice Cary.
THE FLOWER
"Bright little dandelion, downy yellow face
Peeping up among the grass with such gentle grace.
Minding not the April wind blowing rude and cold.
Brave little dandelion with a heart of gold."
The heart of gold is a pretty center for the rosette.
Watch the dandelion's visitors. Children keep a record for
a week of the diflferent insects they find on the flower. The
bees like the dandelion because the nectar is easily obtained
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 243
from the tubes of the florets. How do they pay for the nectar?
When they visit a flower in search of food they carry a precious
dust called pollen from one flower to another that needs it in
order to develop the best seed. If pollen is not obtained from
another flower the dandelion ovules manage to get it from
the plant on which they grow. This process of self-pollina-
tion, in case cross-pollination (pollen from one flower to an-
other of the same kind) is not secured, accounts for the great
number of dandelions to be found. The stem takes the flower
up to the sun when it is necessary, is hollow, and has a bitter
taste.
Children, discover the habit of the flower in closing at night
and upon the approach of rain to save the nectar, also the in-
volucre closing upon the fading corolla while the seeds are
ripening, and becoming convex to hold up the seeds so as to
catch the wind when they are ready to fly. Children notice
that after the flower withers, a white, downy mass appears, the
silky hairs spread apart and a beautiful white sphere rivals the
golden yellow flower. Count the number qf seeds on a head.
A light puff of wind will start them on their journey. Children
blow seeds from the receptacle and see how they sail ; try to
imagine where the silk wings will take them,
dandelion yellow as gold.
What do you do all day?
1 just wait here in the tall g^rcen grass
Till the children come to play.
dandelion yellow as gold.
What do you do all night?
1 wait and wait till the cool dews fall
And my hair grows long and white.
And what do you do when your hair is white
And the children come to play?
They take me up in their dimpled hands
And blow my hair away.
— Selbctbd.
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244 NATURE STUDY
Summary
The flowers close in unfavorable weather.
The flowers close while seeds are ripening.
The bright color attracts the insects.
The flower stem (scape) grows upwards to give the seeds a
chance to fly away. Determined to grow near our homes.
Change in shape of receptacle after the disappearance of the
blossom.
The small, green bracts protect buds at night
Teacher, draw plant as a whole, directed by pupils in order
to lead them to observe carefully. Erase, and let children draw
and paint the dandelion.
Sum up uses of root, stem, leaves, and flowers. Again im-
press interdependence in nature.
Tell children that the dandelion belongs to a very noted
family and has a great many distinguished relatives. They
grow in all parts of the world and comprise about one-tenth
of all the flowering plants. (Aster, golden-rod, sunflower, thistle,
chrysanthemum, dahlia, marigold, and many others.) G>m-
pare dandelion with chrysanthemum.
Uses of Dandelioa
Beautifies the earth at least half the year. Leaves used for
food. Root used for medicine. Blossom has nectar for insects.
Tell story of the Pot of Gold.
I suppose you have heard of the pot of gold that was hidden
at the end of the rainbow. No doubt there are people in the
world who thmk it is there yet, .^ . ^ ^ ,. , , „
, , /^ 'There's a dandy little fellow
but it is not, for a long, long WhodreMesallinyellow.
time ago, somebody found it. J;,S?"rJl"'«°Jr"^i'''f*^
^ ' -^ . With Ills hair all crisp and curly
Indeed, nobody knows how in in the spring time bright and early,
the world it happened because a tripping cer the meadow, he^ji^^^
a great many people have
searched and searched for it and finally decided that the rain-
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SPRING NATURE STUDY , 846
bow has no end. This is the story. A very, very selfish man
found the gold and resolved to hide it where no one would ever
find it. So one night he put the money in a sack and hurried
away to the woods to hide it. There was a hole in the sack
and the man did not know that one by one the gold pieces fell
in the meadow. When he discovered that- all his money was
gone, you may be sure he hurried back to find it.
He stooped to pick up the bright gold coins, but was very
much disappointed to find bright yellow flowers instead of
money. How did it happen?
Indeed, I do not know. I only know that yellow flowers
give joy to the children, and selfish people are never joyous
or happy. — ^Adapted.
Memorize :
TO THE DANDELION
Dear common flower, that grow'st beside the way.
Fringing the dusty road with harmless gold«
First pledge of blithesome May,
Which children pluck, and, full of pride, uphold.
High-hearted buccaneers, o'er joyed that they
An Eldorado in the grass have founds
Which not the rich earth's ample round
May match in wealth, thou art more dear to me
Than all the prouder Summer-blooms may be.
My childhood's earliest thoughts are linked with thee,
The sight of thee calls back the robin's song.
Who from the dark old tree
Beside the door, sang clearly all day long;
And I, secure in childish piety.
Listened as if I heard an angel sing
With news from Heaven, which he did bring
Fresh every day to my untainted ears,
When birds and flowers and I were happy peers.
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246 NATURE STUDY
Thou art the type of those meek charities
Which make up half the nobleness of lif^
Those cheap delights the wise
Pluck from the dusty wayside of earth's strife;
Words of frank cheer, glances of friendly eyes.
Love's smallest coin, which yet to some may give
The morsel that may keep alive
A starving heart and teach it to behold
Some glimpse of God where all before was cold.
Full of deep love thou art, yet not more full
Than all thy common brethren of the ground.
Wherein, were we not dull.
Some words of highest wisdom might be found;
Yet earnest faith from day to day may ctdl
Some syllables, which^ rightly joined, may make
A spell to soothe life's bitterest ache.
And ope Heaven's portals, which are near us still
Yea. nearer ever than the gates of 111.
—LOWBLX.
LEGEND OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS, OR CHRIST
FLOWERS.
It was Christmas Eve in the Black Forest The whirling snow
touched the tree tops; the starry flakes clung to the branches or fluttered
down^ pure as rose petals wafted about by the breath of angels. Soon
the frozen earth was hid from view and a great white world waited, in
solemn expectation, the coming of the Christ-Child. Silence lay upon
the forest. The charcoal burners tended their smoldering fires and
dreamed of home or, with simple faith, listened for Uie shepherd's mes-
sage and the angels' song.
When the midnight hour was nigh, a sound broke the stillness, the
wail of a child in distress.
"'Tis the cry from Bethlehem," said Johann reverently. "The Christ-
Child is bom."
"No child of the Black Forest would be about to-night?" asked Hans,
uneasily. "It might not be one of our little children?" "Not so," said
Michael; "content thee, Hans, thy little ones snug in their cot, dream of
the angels, while thy good frau guards their sleep. It is as Johann says,
'the echo from Bethlehem.* "
Hans was silent, but presently stole away into the snow-wreathed
depths of the forest. A voice in his heart was urging him on.
"May the star of Bethlehem guide me aright," he prayed. "If a child
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 247
be abroad this holy night, lead me, dear God, to Thy little one." Again
the wail of distress smote upon his ear; a sob was the answer to his
prayer; and stooping down, the charcoal burner lifted from the snow a
babe scantily wrapped in swaddling clothes. It's feeble strength was
almost spent, so placing it in his breast, Hans sped through the forest
toward his home.
The hausmutter sat by her babes, her face, beautiful with mother-love,
radiant in the glow of the Christmas lights burning on the humble tree,
and so Hans found her.
"I have brought thee one more, Gretchen," he said as he placed the
babe on her bosom. "Succor it for the Christ-Child's sake."
"Who was born to-night," answered the mother gently, and her love
flowed out to the waif, warming it back to life.
The slumbering children stirred and wakened, and seeing the stranger,
rose from their cots, and presently the hut rang with their rejoicing.
The lights on the tree twinkled like stars. The children bore their
guest toward it, loaded him with its choicest gifts, and played about
him merrily, Hans and Gretchen looking on, a great content in their
hearts. Suddenly a radiance, not of earth, illumined the humble abode;
the waif was encircled by a glory that deepened and spread, till the char-
coal burner's hut became as an ante-chamber of heaven. Hans and
Gretchen fell on their knees in adoration. The Babe they had harbored
was passing from their vision, floating upward as if borne by angels'
wings. His tiny hands outspread in parting benediction. The children
wept for the loss of their playmate.
"Hush thee, my darlings," whispered the mother. "Know you 'twas
the dear Christ-Child, who came to us and hath returned to Heaven.
To-morrow thy father shall show thee the spot where he found the Holy
Babe."
When the morrow came Hans led the little ones into the forest and
where had been a bed of snow, lo! flowers bloomed, great waxen blos-
soms with hearts of gold and petals like silken floss!
"The Christ flowers!" cried little Gretta, and kneeling before them, as
at a shrine, the peasants solemnly recorded a vow to succor each
Christmas day some poor child in honor of the Holy One, who had
been their guest.
And so in the Black Forest, is still held this legend of "How the
Chrysanthemums or Christ Flowers Came."— -Mary Blanche O'Sulli-
VAN. — Donahoe^s Magazine; by permission of the a^hor.
THE Apple tree
"Doth thy heart stir within thee at the sight
Of orchard blooms upon the mossy boughs?
Doth their sweet household smile waft back the glow
Of childhood's morn — the wondering fresh delight
In earth's new coloring, then all strangely bright
A joy of fairyland?"
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248 NATURE STUDY
Aim.«— To make the child realize that beautiful stories can
be read from trees as well as from books.
To impress and reinforce the out-of-door lessons by litera-
ture.
Preparation. — Lead pupils to talk about the gifts they like
best. Tell them that our trees produce numberless gifts every
year that we prize very highly. Let children name trees that
have gifts for the birds and for the squirrels. Gifts for man.
Ask them to tell why the apple tree is so great a favorite.
They will be likely to suggest many reasons.
Field Lesson. — ^Visit the apple tree with pupils very early
in the spring before there are any visible signs of growth.
Get acquainted with the tree and its surroundings. Compare
its height, its mode of branching and its general appearance
with one of the evergreens studied during the winter. Ask
questions that can be answered only by examining the tree.
Read "Talking in Their Sleep" to direct the children's
thoughts.
"You think I am dead/' the apple tree said,
''Because I have never a leaf to show — because I stoop^
And my branches droop, and the dull gray mosses over me growl
But Fm all alive in trunk and shoot; the buds of next May
I fold away, but I pity the withered grass at my root"
"You think I am dead/' the quick grass said,
"Because I have parted with stem and blade? But under the ground
I am safe and sound, with the snow's thick blanket over me laid^
I'm all alive, and ready to shoot, shotdd the spring of the year
Come dancing here—but I pity the flower without branch or root/'
"You think I am dead/' a soft voice said,
"Because not a branch or root I own! I have never died,
But close I hide, in a plumy seed that the wind has sown.
Patient I wait through the long winter hours; you will see me again —
I shall laugh at you then, out of the eyes of a hundred flowers."
—Edith Thomas.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 249
Request children to visit the tree daily, examine the branches
and report changes in the appearance of the buds. Place a
branch in a jar of water and let children watch the buds
unfolding.
Read and discuss
"AN APRIL WELCOME"
Come ttp, April, through the valley.
In your robes of beauty drest.
Come and wake your flowery children
From their wintry beds of rest;
Come and overblow them softly
With the sweet breath of the south;
Drop upon them, warm and loving,
Tenderest kisses of your mouth.
Touch them with your rosy fingers,
Wake them with your pleasant tread.
Push away the leaf-brown covers.
Over all their faces spread;
Tell them how the sun is waiting
Longer daily in the skies.
Looking for the bright uplifting
Of their softly-fringed eyes.
Come up, April, through the valley.
Where the fountain sleeps to-day.
Let him, freed from icy fetters,
Go rejoicing on his way;
Through the flower-enameled meadows
Let him run his laughing race.
Making love to all the blossoms
That o'erlean and kiss bis face.
—Phoebe Cary.
What Bowers have opened their eyes? How many kinds
of plants are to be found near the apple tree? What birds
sing in its branches?
Seccmd Field Lesson.— Where were the leaves and the buds
when we made our first visit? What has caused such a differ-
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250 NATURE STUDY
ence in the appearance of the tree? Lead children to talk
about the tree's helpers — soil, rain, air, and sunshine.
Impress the lessons of mutual dependence and mutual help-
fulness. Let children tell what man does for a fruit tree. He
plants the tree ; he loosens the soil so that the rain can reach
the roots; he trims and grafts the tree; he protects it by
destroying its enemies, caterpillars, worms, etc. Children tell
what they know about planting trees. Question parents and
others.
Read and discuss and let older pupils commit the first three
or four stanzas of "Come Let Us Plant the Apple Tree."
COME LET US PLANT THE APPLE TREE
Qeave the tough greensward with the spade;
Wide let its hollow bed be made;
There gently lay the roots, and there
Sift the dark mold with kindly care,
And press it o'er them tenderly —
As, round the sleeping infant's feet.
We softly fold the cradle-sheet;
So plant we the apple tree.
What plant we in this apple tree?
Buds, which the breath of summer days
Shall lengthen into leafy sprays;
Boughs where the thrush with crimson breast.
Shall haunt and sing and hide her nest;
We plant upon the sunny lea,
A shadow for the noontide hour,
A shelter from the summer shower.
When we plant the apple tree.
What plant we in this apple tree?
Sweets for a hundred flowery springs
To load the May wind's restless wings^
When from the orchard row he pours
Its fragrance through our open doors;
• A world of blossoms for the bee,
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 261
Flowers for the sick girl's silent room.
For the glad infant sprigs of bloom.
We plant with the apple tree.
What plant we in this apple tree?
Fruits that shall swell in sunny June,
And redden in the August noon.
And drop, when gentle airs come by.
That fan the blue September sky.
While children come, with cries of glee.
And seek them where the fragrant grass
Betrays their beds to those who pass,
At the foot of the apple tree.
—William Cullen Bryant.
What does the apple tree give man in return for all his care?
Visit the tree again with pupils when it is in full bloom. The
delicate colors, the fragrance, the hum of insects, and the
songs of birds all combine to delight the senses. Help chil-
dren to appreciate the beauty of the apple tree. By question-
ing lead pupils to describe calyx, corolla, stamens, and pistils.
Note the number of flowers in a cluster, the arrangement on
the stem, etc. Examine leaves, length of petiole, arrangement
on branch, shape of leaf, etc. Draw and paint an apple branch.
Discuss the Work of the Trcc^The root takes food from
the soil ; the trunk and branches carry food from the root and
leaves to the flowers ; the leaves take carbon dioxide from the
air, and out of this gas and water make starch, set free ogygen,
and give off moisture.
THE FLOWER
There's a wedding in the orchard, dear,
I know it by' the flowers;
They're wreathed on every bough and branch
Or falling down in showers.
—Mary Mapes Dodgb.
The flower beautifies the earth and makes seed. The apple
tree sends forth a continuous murmur after it blossoms. Let
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262 NATURE STUDY
children watch the bees at work and get acquainted with their
ways. We are told that a single swarm has been known to
gain twenty pounds in weight while the tree is in bloom. Do
the bees help the apple tree? Encourage children to watch
the beautiful corollas blowing away. Examine a branch fre-
quently and note the growth of the apples.
Recall the appearance of the tree in early spring. Review
the influence of physical environment, — man's work, the tree's
work. Lead children from nature to the Author of nature.
The Creator controls and directs all. Whittier's poem will
help to impress this thought
O, Painter, of the fruit and flowers.
We own Thy wise design.
Whereby these human hands of ours
May share the work of Thine!
Apart from Thee we plant in vain
The root and sow the seed;
Thy early and Thy later rain,
Thy sun and dew we need.
And North and South and East and West
The pride of every zone.
The fairest, rarest, and the best
May all be made our own.
In earliest shrines the young world sought
In hill-groves and in bowers.
The fittest offerings thither brought
Were Thy own fruits and flowers.
And still with reverent hands we cull
Thy gifts each year renewed;
The good is always beautiful
The beautiful is good.
— Whittier.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 253
Sum Up Uses of the Apple Tree
It beautifies the earth. It furnishes nectar for the bees.
Birds build their nests among its branches. The fruit is
valuable.
Cider and vinegar are made from the apples.
Study the apple in the fall after having watched its growth
from the beginning. Cut the apple across through the center.
How many parts or cells in the seed box?
Count the seeds. Tell the number and the arrangement in
each cell. How are the seeds protected ? By the skin ; by the
pulp which is the fleshy, ripened cup or calyx; and by the
core, which is the wall of the seed-box. How can you help to
awaken the life in the apple seed ?
How do you know when the seeds are ripe?
In what way does the brilliant color help the seeds? Read
"Apple-Seed John" for children.
APPLE-SEED JOHN
Poor Johnny was bended well-nigh double
With years of care, and toil, and trouble;
But his large old heart still felt the need
Of doing for others some kindly deed.
"But what can I do?" old Johnny said;
"I. who work so hard for daily bread?
It takes heaps of money to do much good;
I am far too poor to do as I would."
The old man sat thinking deeply awhile.
Then over his features gleamed a smile;
And he clapped his hands with childish glee.
And said to himself, "There's a way for me!"
He worked and he worked with might and main.
But no one knew the plan in his brain.
He took the ripe apples in pay for chores.
And carefully cut from them all the cores.
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254 NATURE STUDY
With a bag full of cores he wandered away,
And no man saw him for many a day.
With knapsack over his shoulder slung,
He marched along and whistled or sung.
With pointed cane, deep holes he would bore.
And in every hole he placed a core;
Then covered them well and left them there.
In keeping of sunshine, rain, and air.
Whenever he'd used the whole of his store.
He went into cities and worked for more;
Then he marched back to the wilds again.
And planted seed on hillside and plain.
Weary travelers, journeying West,
In the shade of his trees find a pleasant rest;
And they often start with glad surprise.
At the rosy fruit that round them lies.
And if they inquire whence came such trees.
Where not a branch once swayed in the breeze.
The answer still comes, as they travel on,
"These trees were planted by 'Apple-Seed John.'"
— Lydia Masia Child.
TREE PLANTING
AVhat does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants the friend of earth and sky;
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty hovering high;
He plants a home to heaven a-nigh.
For song and mother— croon of bird
In hushed and happy twilight heard, —
The treble of heaven's harmony, —
These things he plants who plants a tree.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants cool shade and tender rain,
And seed and bud of days to be.
And years that fade and flush again;
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 266
He plants the glory of the plain;
He plants the forest heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
The joys that unborn eyes shall see, —
These things he plants who plants a tree.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants in sap and leaf and wood
In love of home and loyalty,
And forecast thought of civic good, —
His blessings on the neighborhood
Who, in the hollow of His hand
Holds all the growth of all the land,
A nation's growth from sea to sea
Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.
— Coolsy's Language Book.
THE APPLE
The apple is the most common and yet the most varied and beautiful
of fruits. A dish of them is as becoming to the center-table in winter
as was the vase of flowers in the summer, — z bouquet of Spitzenburgs
and Greenings and Northern Spies. A rose when it blooms, the apple
is a rose when it ripens. It pleases every sense to which it can be ad-
dressed, the touch, the smell, the sight, the taste; and when it falls,
in the still October days, it pleases the ear. It is a call to a banquet,
it is a signal that the feast is. ready. The bough would fain hold it, but
it can now assert its independence; it can now live a life of its own.
Daily the stem relaxes its hold, till finally it lets go completely and
down comes the painted sphere with a mellow thump to the earth,
toward which it has been nodding so long. It bounds away to seek
its bed, to hide under a leaf, or in a tuft of grass. It will now take
time to meditate and ripen! What delicious thoughts it has there
nestled with its fellows under the fence, turning acid into sugar, and
sugar into vinegar.
How pleasing to the touch! I love to stroke its polished rondure
with my hand, to carry it in my pocket on my tramp over the winter
hills, or through the early spring woods. You are company, you red-
cheeked spitz, or you salmon-fleshed greening! I toy with you; press
your face to mine, toss you in the air, roll you on the ground, see you
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266 NATURE STUDY
shine out where yon lie amid the moss and dry leaves and sticks. You
are so alive! You glow like a ruddy flower! You look so animated
I almost expect to see you move! I postpone the eating of you, you
are so beautiful! How compact; how exquisitely tinted! Stained by
the sun and varnished against the rains. An independent vegetable ex-
istence, alive and vascular as my own flesh; capable of being wounded,
bleeding, wasting away, or almost repairing damages! ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
An apple orchard is sure to bear you several crops beside the apple.
There is the crop of sweet and tender reminiscences, dating from child-
hood and spanning the seasons from May to October, and making the
orchard a sort of outlying part of the household. You have played
there as a child^ mused there as a youth or lover, strolled there as ^
thoughtful sad-eyed man. Your father, perhaps, planted the trees, or
reared them from the seed and you yourself have pruned and grafted
them, and worked among them, till every separaite tree has a peculiar
history and meaning in your mind. Then there is the never-failing
crop of birds, — robins, goldfinches, king-birds, cedar-birds, hair-birds,
orioles, starlings, — all nesting and breeding in its branches and fitly
described by Wilson Flagg as "Birds of the Garden and Orchard."
■—From Winter Sunshine.— J oni^ Burroughs.
By special permission and arrangement with Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
HONEY BEES
Purpose of the Lesson. — ^To emphasize interdependence hy
directing attention to the relation of flowers and bees.
To become better acquainted with the life and habits of one
of the most intelligent of insects.
Material Useful for Illustrating the Lesson. — Bees, honey-
comb, wax, and flowers containing pollen.
Preparatory Work. — ^Talk with pupils about flowers, their
beauty and use. Let children tell about the home, appearance,
and habits of their favorite flowers. What insects visit them?
Why are the flowers and the bees such good friends? Request
pupils to watch a bee for five or ten minutes each day for a
week or so, and report observations daily. How many differ-
ent flowers did it visit? Were the flowers all alike or did it
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 257
go from one flower to another? Children find nectar in flow-
ers. How many have visited a hive? Tell pupils that the
bees seem grateful for the apple blossoms, clover, linden, buck-
wheat, and many other trees and flowers, but they never seem
to appreciate man's kindness in giving them a hive.
After interest has been awakened by out-door observation a
few bees may be secured almost any sunny day, put in a glass
jar, and covered with netting. A lump of moistened sugar
or a little honey and some fresh flowers will satisfy their hun-
ger while the children are getting better acquainted with them.
Continue study out-of-doors.
Habits and Structure.^Direct attention to the bees in the
window jar and bring out as many of the following facts by
questioning, as possible :
The bee's body is divided into three parts, — ^head, thorax,
and abdomen.
The long tongue is used in getting nectar from the flowers.
Wings. — Four transparent wings. The fore large wing and
the hind small one are hooked together and spread out when
flying, but when walking are folded so that the smaller wing
slips under the larger one. Advantage of this arrangement?
Eyes.— Two large compound eyes on the side of the head
and three single eyes on the top of the head.
Antennae. — By means of the antennae or feelers the bee
hears, smells, discovers the nature of objects and communi-
cates with other bees.
The bee has six legs attached to the thorax. The hind legs
of the workers are provided with pollen baskets.
Examine a piece of honeycomb and see the advantage of
the six-sided cells, — no waste.
Let children find answers to the following questions : How
is wax made? The workers eat all the honey they can, hook
themselves together in long lines that hang in festoons from
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268 NATURE STUDY
the top of the hive until tiny scales of wax appear between
the rings of the abdomen of each bee. In about twenty-four
hours the honey is changed to wax. It takes about twenty-
five pounds of honey to make one pound of wax.
It is estimated that a colony of forty thousand workers can
make about four thousand cells in twenty-four hours.
How far do they travel for nectar ? As a rule, only a short
distance, but bees have been known to fly many miles.
Prof. Hodges tells us that a swarm can make a thousand
pounds of honey in a season.
What trees yield honey? Basswood, maple, willow, apple,
etc.
What flowers? White clover, buckwheat, raspberry, com,
wheat, dandelion, etc. The red clover gives its honey to the
bumble-bee and the Italian bee.
What time do bees begin their day's work? Before sunrise.
Let older pupils discover the importance of their work in
carrying pollen from one flower to another of the same kind
(cross-pollination) .
Cover a cluster of buds with netting before the flowers open,
— strawberry, apple, plum, cherry, etc. Compare strawberries
on covered cluster with berries on exposed stems. In autumn
compare apples and plums on covered and uncovered branches.
The superior quality and quantity of the fruit on uncovered
branches is due to cross-pollination.
The bee family, swarming, and the life story of bees are
topics of great interest.
In case pupils have no opportunity to watch a swarm of
bees at work, it may be advisable to conclude the study in the
lower grades with the pollination of flowers.
Read to children part of "Birds and Bees" and ''Locusts and
Wild Honey" by John Burroughs. Read ''King Solomon and
the Bees" told in verse by J. G. Saxe.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 259
KING SOLOMON AND THE BEES
Many, many years ago there lived a very wise king named Solomon.
He knew all the flowers of the field and the trees of the forest; the
secrets of birds, bees, ants and butterflies, where they lived and how
they obtained their food When people had disputes to settle they ap-
pealed to him, believing that he would tell them what was right
The Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon's fame and resolved to visit
him and make a test of his wisdom. She required the most skillful
workmen in her kingdom to make a bouquet of artificial flowers, and
so perfect were they that it was almost impossible for the keenest ob-
server to distinguish them from the flowers that grew in the garden.
The queen brought the artificial flowers and a bunch of natural flowers
to the king and asked him to tell her which were the real flowers.
Solomon was puzzled and realized that it was not easy to answer this
question. He caught sight of a bee outside the window and requested
a servant to open the window and admit this welcome visitor. The bee
at once made its way to the heart of the real flowers. Then the king
said: "The answer to your question is plain, O Queen; the strong and
wise may learn from the smallest creature if he will but watch for its
teaching."
The queen said: "I have traveled far to learn the secret of your
wisdom, O King, and my journey is not in vain. I am convinced that
you are truly wise."
—Adapted.
BEES
There is no creature, with which man has surrounded himself that
seems so much like a product of civilization, so much like the result of
development on special lines and in special fields, as the honey-bee.
Indeed, a colony of bees, with their neatness and love of order, their
division of labor, their public-spiritedness, their thrift, their complex
econofnics, and their inordinate love of gain, seems as far removed
from a condition of rude nature as does a walled city or a cathedral
town. Our native bee, on the other hand, "the burly, dozing humble
bee," affects one more like the rude, untutored savage. He has learned
nothing from experience. He lives from hand to mouth. He luxuriates
in time of plenty, and he starves in times of scarcity. He lives in a
rude nest, or in a hole in the ground, and in small communities; he
builds a few deep cells or racks in which he stores a little honey and
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260 NATURE STUDY
bee-bread for his young, but as a worker in wax he is of the most
primitive and awkward. The Indian regarded the honey-bee as an ill-
omen. She was the white man's fly. In fact she was the epitome of
the white man himself. She has the white man's craftiness, his industry,
his architectural skill, his neatness and love of system, his foresight,
and, above all, his eager, miserly habits. The honey-bee's great am-
bition is to get rich, to lay up great stores, to possess the sweet of
every flower that blooms. She is more than provident Enough will
not satisfy her; she must have all she can get by hook or crook. She
comes from the oldest country, Asia, and thrives best in the most fertile
and long settled lands.
—From An Idyl of the Honey Bee.—JoHV Burroughs.
By special permission and arrangement with Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
RABBITS
The domesticated rabbit is very common ; it is a great favor-
ite with children, and an excellent type-animal for the study
of the "gnawers" or rodents.
By a little effort, one or two rabbits can be obtained and
their life and habits observed in the school-room or school-yard.
The study will be of comparatively little value, without the
living rabbits.
Aim. — ^To awaken a sympathetic interest in animal life.
To lead children to observe the habits and structure of the
rabbit, and to discover the adaptation of structure to life and
habits.
Material
One or two rabbits in a wire cage.
A box or large tray of sand in which the rabbits can dig.
Pictures of rabbits.
Preparatory Work. — ^Find out how many of the pupils have
pet rabbits. Let children tell some of the interesting things
they have discovered while caring for their pets. What does
the rabbit eat? Can he hear well? How does he drink?
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 261
What can you tell about his disposition? Do you think
the rabbit is pretty? Why?
Observation of Habits
Plajring. — ^Rabbits are very active and enjoy frolicking about
when they have plenty of room. Children, watch them at
play and describe their actions.
Compare with cat.
Washing. — ^Watch the rabbit brushing his fur with his foot
and then sponging it with his tongue. Tell how he washes
his face. How does he hold down his ears? How does the cat
wash herself?
E^ting.-»Give the rabbit some cabbage, and notice how he
bites it off. He moves his lower jaw up and down, sideways,
and from front to back. Examine his chisel-shaped, sharp,
front teeth.
Burrowing*— Let children tell how the rabbit digs with his
fore feet, and pushes the earth back with his hind feet. Give
the rabbit a chance to burrow in the box of sand. Tell the
pupils about the hares, often
«i J it Mj i^t^'j. t9 j.1^ J. of all beasts he learned Uielr language;
called wild rabbits, that beamed their names and an their secrets;
burrow under the snow in how the beavers bullt their lodges;
* *
winter. '^hy the rabbit was so timid ;
Children read about Hia- TaUced with them where'er he met them
« , ... Called them " Hiawatha's Brothers. **
watha s rabbits.
Positions
Notice the rabbit's position when resting, sleeping, and
sitting.
When resting he draws his head close up to his body, turns
his ears backward, partly closes his eyes, and draws his feet
under him. Looks like a ball of white fur.
When sleeping he sometimes stretches his body out full
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262 NATURE STUDY
length, rests his head on his fore paws, and turns his ears back
close to his body.
When sitting he doubles his hind legs under him, straightens
out his fore legs, and raises his ears ; or he rests his body on
the hind legs, and uses his fore legs for hands.
Have you seen rabbits listening? Describe position.
Have you seen them huddle close together?
Picture rabbits in three or four different positions.
Movements. — Study the rabbit's movements in the cage.
When he walks he generally brings his two hind feet together
very quickly. Open the cage and let Bunny show how well
he can hop. Hopping and jumping are his usual means of
locomotion. When he is frightened he will show how well he
can jump.
Can you describe the position of his feet when he springs
forward a yard or more at a bound? Sprinkle sand on the
floor and examine the rabbit's tracks.
Read and discuss Hamilton Gibson's "How Bunny Writes
His Autograph" (Sharp Eyes).
Which legs are the longer? the stronger?
Does the rabbit make much noise when he moves^ from
place to place? Why not?
Examine the feet and find out how they are adapted to pre-
vent noise. Insist upon personal observation.
The long, spreading, flexible foot with pad near end is cov-
ered with brush-like hairs. Use of pad or cushion? Use of
brush-like hairs?
The hind legs are longer and stronger than the fore legs.
Used mainly for hopping or jumping. The fore legs arc used
mainly for grasping things.
Body as a Whole. — Measure length of body when the rabbit
is stretched out.
Shape.— Cylindrical. Head somewhat oval in shape; about
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 263
one-third as long as the trunk; neck very short. Notice the
position and attachment of legs of rabbit. Fine, soft, furry
covering, variable in color. Use : To beautify and to protect
from cold.
Ears.— The large, delicate, more or less transparent ears are
situated on top of head. Note shape of base. Note freedom
of movement.
Eyes. — Compare the eye of the rabbit with the eye of the
cat.
Large "bulging" eye on side of head, usually pinkish, has
three eyelids. The rabbit can turn his eyeball and see behind
him with a slight movement of the head.
Whiskers. — Notice position with reference to mouth and
ears.
Nose.— Observe size and openings, also movements when
cabbage or other favorite vegetable is near.
Mouth. — ^Upper lip cleft up to the nose. Is this an advan-
tage?
Teeth. — Examine the two long, sharp, incisor teeth in the
front of each jaw. Teacher, tell pupils about the flat, grooved,
grinding teeth, and the small teeth hidden by the incisors in
the upper jaw.
How does the rabbit keep his incisor teeth sharp enough to
eat bark, twigs, and vegetables ? The teeth grow out from the
jaw as fast as they wear away. How does the rabbit keep his
teeth worn down? Do they ever grow out faster than they
wear away? Yes, sometimes Bunny's teeth grow so long that
he cannot eat. What will he do then? Recall what children
learned about the squirrel's teeth last fall.
Compare teeth of rabbit with teeth of squirrel.
Disposition. — ^Are rabbits gentle or rough, when they play
together? Why do you think so? Are they easily frightened?
Are they timid? Trustful? Give reason for your answer.
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264 NATURE STUDY
When eating together, how do they act? Are the two rabbits
we have been studying alike in disposition ?
Food. — ^Rabbits like clover, oats, meal, carrots, cabbage,
lettuce, turnips, parsnips, etc. They often kill young trees by
gnawing the bark.
Enemies. — ^The rabbit has a great many enemies: hawks,
owls, weasels, foxes, hedgehogs, cats, and man.
Read John Burroughs' "Life of Fear in Riverby."
Home Life. — ^The true home of the wild rabbit is not in the
school-room.
Teacher, tell children about the free, happy life of the rabbit
in the woods.
Compare home and life with the home and life of the
squirrel and the cat.
Rabbits frequently burrow m the hillside, and many bur-
rows often communicate, forming what is called a "warren"
in which great numbers may live together.
Describe zigzag arrangement of burrows. Why? Enemies
cannot enter without great effort.
Care of the Yoimg. — ^Tell children about the mother mak-
ing a special home for the young,— collecting leaves and
pulling hair from her own body to make a nice bed for the
little rabbits, and remaining in the burrow a couple of days at
a time without food, carefully covering the opening to the bur-
row when she finds it necessary to go out in search of food.
Tell story of "Battle Bunny" by Bret Harte. Europe, Asia,
and Africa, the original home of the wild rabbit.
Why is this little animal so well liked as a pet?
Let children recall desirable characteristics, its gentleness,
its kindness, its cleanliness, the ease with which it can be cared
for, etc.
Sununary.— Adaptation of structure to habits. The ears:
freedom of movement, size, form, etc. The eyes : how adapted
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 265
to needs. The mouth and teeth: how adapted for gnawing?
By shape, size, and strength of teeth, free movement of lower
jaw, cleft upper Up.
The legs and feet : how adapted for locomotion ?
The two hind legs longer ^^^ ^jLD RABBITS
and stronger than the two They Uvelnlmnow. with winding way.
fore legs, the cushions. And there Uicythelteronrainy day*.
• 11 M 1.* jt i. ^ ^ The mother rabbits make eoay nests,
brUSh-hke hairs and strong with hairy lining, fwm their breasts.
nails on the feet enable the -sbltctbd.
rabbit to move noiselessly, brush his fur, and dig or burrow
in the earth.
If the study of adaptation is not based on careful observation
the work will be of little value.
How is the rabbit distinguished from the hare?
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE
A Hare one day ridiculed the slow pace of the Tortoise, and boasted
of his own speed in running.
The Tortoise said, "Let us try a race. I will run with you five miles,
and our friend the Fox may act as judge."
"All right," said the Hare, and away they went together. The Tor-
toise jogged along with a slow and steady pace to the end of the journey.
The Hare first outran the Tortoise, then fell behind and began to
nibble at the grass and to play hide and seek with other hares. Fin-
ally he became tired with play and lay down for a nap, saying, "If the
Tortoise should get ahead of me I could catch up with her and pass
her without the least trouble." The Hare woke up but the Tortoise
was not in sight; and running as fast as he could he found her at her
goal fast asleep, while the Fox stood waiting to tell the Hare he had
lost the race. —From Aesop's Fables,
FISHES
Fishes are quite as interesting as their neighbors that live
upon the land.
The following outline is only suggestive, but it is intended
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266 NATURE STUDY
to indicate some of the things that the children may learn
about the fish.
Goldfish or minnows in glass jars.
Children observe movements and habits in living fish. How
adapted to live in water? Examine the scales. Which way
do they point? Why? Of what use are the scales to the fish?
How does the fish breathe? Does it open its mouth? Has
it eyelids ? Where are the gills ? How is the tail used ? What
does the fish eat? Has it teeth? Describe your favorite fish.
Count the fins. Where situated? structure? use of fins?
Describe the gills.
Shape of Body. — A fish is shaped as a wedge at both ends.
This is the typical form.
Is this the shape that can be moved through the water with
the least amount of force?
Do you suppose boats are patterned after fishes?
The Covering of Fishes. — Direct attention to the arrange-
ment of the scales. The front edges are embedded and held
firmly in folds of the skin. The scales form a protecting skele-
ton and admit of great freedom of motion. Are all fishes pro-
vided with scales?
Note the slimy covering.
The Fins and Tail. — Children, watch the fish at rest — the fish
swimming.
Teacher, make a blackboard drawing and show fins, gills, etc.
The fins vary in number and position, but most fishes have
five kinds.
The pectoral fins are behind the head, one on each side of
the body.
The ventral fins are below and still further back. In some
fishes these are placed as far back as the tail, in others as far
forward as the throat.
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SPRING NATURE STUDY 267
The dorsal fin is on the back. Some fishes have two dorsal
fins. The anal fin is on the under side near the tail.
Last is the tail or caudal fin.
The fins are folds of the skin strengthened by bony spikes.
With the exception of the caudal fin, the chief use of the fins
is for balancing.
The tail-fin is the important propeller, — ^the oar.
Besides the tail-fin the other two vertical fins — ^the anal and
dorsal — may aid the fish in swimming.
How does the Fish Breathe? — Direct attention to the gill
cover on the side of the head. The gills are so arranged as to
bring the cold red blood of the fish in contact with the air
which is in the water. The water flows in at the mouth, over
the gills and out under the gill cover. The gills serve the
purpose of lungs. Does the fish hear ?
It is claimed that gold fishes have been trained to respond
to the ringing of a bell at their meal time. Some fishes are
provided with teeth. Is the minnow? the gold fish?
Q)mpare the minnow with the cat-fish. Find out about the
habits of the flying-fish, cuttle-fish, stickleback, and other inter-
esting fishes.
Tell the children of the salmon fisheries, the fishing off the
banks of Newfoundland, and the migration of fishes.
Describe the world renowned aquarium in Naples.
The teacher must, from general suggestions, make detailed
outlines to suit her school if she hopes to succeed with the
fish, or other nature lessons.
THE SHEEP AND THE COW
As the facts concerning this lesson are well known, only a
few topics are suggested which the teacher should expand.
The sheep and the cow eat the same kind of food — grasses,
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268* NATURE STUDY
grains, etc. — ^are cud-chewers, have no front teeth in upper
jaws, have four stomachs, have divided hoofs.
Character
The sheep is gentle, patient, timid, social.
The cow is social, shows strong attachment for her young.
The cud-chewing animals furnish a very important part of
our food and clothing.
Let children make a list of the things that are given by
the sheep. By the cow.
Which is the most useful animal?
Lead the children to get as much of the information as pos-
sible from their own observation.
Procure good pictures of country life, "The Return of the
Flock," "The Shepherdess," "The Sheep Pasture."
SLEEP, BABY, SLEEP!
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Thy father watches his sheep;
Thy mother is shaking the dreamland tree.
And down comes a little dream on thee.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Sleep, baby, sleep!
The large stars are the sheep;
The little stars are the lambs, I guess;
And the gentle moon is the shepherdess.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Sleep, baby, sleep!
Our Saviour loves His sheep;
He is the Lamb of God on high,
Who for our sakes came down to die.
Sleep, baby, sleep!
—E. Prentiss {from the German,)
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CHAPTER V
LANGUAGE— THOROUGH LITERATURE
STORIES AND POEMS
Literature of power and distinction will prove invaluable as
a means of strengthening virtue, attacking vice and enrich-
ing language. The models of expression placed before the
young in prose or verse should contain pure and ennobling
thoughts, the best that has been enshrined in literature.
Froebel declares that early impressions are the root fibers
for the understanding that is developed later and Miss Arnold
writes : "We teach the child to read without implanting in his
soul such love for the good in literature that he will choose
the good and no other, and we have opened for him doors into
evil paths as well as good, without power to withstand the
temptations of the one and to steadily pursue the other. We
give him power to express his thoughts — ^what thoughts?"
Beautiful thought and beautiful expression should be ab-
sorbed in childhood even though the meaning may not be
fully comprehended. Millions of souls bear willing testimony
to the truth of Hinsdale's statement, "The great passages of
the Bible may be read and committed to memory years before
they can be logically analyzed, a glimpse of the Divine Maj-
esty, a view of the future glory, a touch of the celestial, will
come into the heart and life of a little child from a lesson that
he will never fully comprehend."
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270 NATURE STUDY
Whittier says ; "I well remember how, at an early age, the
solemn roll of Gray's Elegy moved and fascinated me with a
sense of majesty and power, felt, rather than understood. The
poem spoke to me like the wind in the pines or the waves on
the beach, awakening faint echoes and responses and vaguely
prophesying of wonders yet to be revealed."
The value of early impressions is suggested in the follow-
ing lines :
A CRADLE SONG
Sing it. Mother! sing it low
Deem it not an idle lay,
In the heart 'twill ebb and flow
All the lifelong way.
Sing it, Mother! softly sing.
While he slumbers on thy knee;
All that after years may bring
Shall flow back to thee.
Sing it. Mother! Love is strong!
When the tears of manhood fall.
Echoes of the cradle song
Shall its peace recall.
Sing it. Mother! when his ear
Catcheth first the Voice Divine,
Dying, he may smile to hear
What he deemeth thine.
—Father Tabb {Kindergarten Magazine.)
By permission Small, Maynard & Co.
Stories of King Arthur and his valiant knights furnish high
ideals of service, valor, and purity of life, and may be made
the rallying points in elevating ideals and influencing char-
acter in the lower grades. King Arthur's ideal of knighthood
is known by the lines : "Wearing the white flower of a blame-
less life" and "A glorious company, the flower of men."
Teacher, review briefly the story of feudalism. Show pict-
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LITERATURE 271
ures of noted castles and discuss the general plan of the feudal
castle. Read appropriate extracts from Tennyson's "Idyls
of the King" and Lowell's "Vision of Sir Launfal." Tell the
"Story of Gilbert" by Jane Andrews. Discuss ideal family
relationship; boys proud to serve mothers as shown by Rol-
and's devotion to his mother, the Lady Bertha. Position of
women. Training for knighthood; page, squire, knight. Re-
ligious training. Training in courtesy. Show pictures of
beautiful cathedrals and discuss occupations belonging to
Gilbert's time: mosaic work, illumination of manuscripts,
painting, sculpture, etc.
In the "Idyls of the King," Tennyson combines the ideal of
Oiristian Chivalry with the perfection of modem expression,
says a noted critic.
For reading and discussion :
And Arthur sat
''Crowned, on the dias and his warriors cried
'Be thou the king, and we will work thy will
Who love thee.' Then the king in low deep tones,
And simple words of great authority.
Bound them by so strict vows to his own self
That, when they rose, knighted from kneeling, some
Were pale as at the passing of a ghost.
Some flushed, and others dazed, as one who wakes
Half-blinded at the coming of a light.
But when he spoke and cheered his Table Round,
With large divine and comfortable words
Beyond my tongue to tell thee — I beheld
A momentary likeness of the King:"
♦ ♦ ♦ "-From The Coming of Artkwr.
"I was first of all the kings who drew
The knighthood-errant of this realm and all
The realms together under me, their Head^
In that fair Order of my Table Round,
A glorious company, the flower of men.
To serve as model for the mighty world.
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272 NATURE STUDY
And be the fair beginning of a time.
I made them lay their hands in mine and swear
To reverence their conscience as their King,
To break the heathen and uphold the Christ,
To ride abroad redressing human wrongs.
To speak no slander, no, nor listen to it.
To honor his own word as if his God's
To lead sweet lives in purest chastity."
-^From Guineffiri.
"Had you known our mighty hall,
Which Merlin built for Arthur long ago.
Tower after tower, spire beyond spire,
By grove, and garden-lawn, and rushing brook,
Gimbs to the mighty hall that Merlin built.
And four great zones of sculpture, set betwixt
With many a mystic symbol, gird the hall:
• • •
And over all one statue in the mould
Of Arthur, made by Merlin, with a crown.
And peak'd wings pointed to the Northern Star.
And eastward fronts the statue, and the crown
And both the wings are made of gold, and flame
At sunrise till the people in far fields.
Wasted so often by the heathen hordes.
Behold it, crying, 'We have still a King.'
• • • •
From noiseful arms, and acts of prowess done
In tournament or tilt. Sir Percivale,
Whom Arthur and his knighthood call'd The Pure,
Had pass'd into the silent life of prayer.
Praise, fast, and alms; and leaving for the cowl
The helmet in an abbey far away
From Camelot, there, and not long after died.
« « • •
Tell me what drove thee from the Table Round
• ^ Was it earthly passion crost?
"Nay," said the knight; "for no such passion mine.
But the sweet vision of the Holy Grail
Drove me from all vain glories, rivalries,
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Sir Galahad— Bv IVatt
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LITERATURE 273
And earthly heats that spring: and sparkle out
Among us in the jousts." ♦ ♦ ♦ The Holy Grail t
"The cup, the cup itself from which our Lord
Drank at the last sad supper with his own.
This, from the blessed land of Aromat —
After the day of darkness, when the dead
Went wandering o'er Moriah — the good saint
Arimathaean Joseph; journeying brought
To Glastonbury, where the winter thorn
Blossoms at Christmas, mindful of our Lord.
And there awhile it bode; and if a man
Coidd touch or see it, he was heal'd at once.
By faith, of all his ills. But then the times
Grew to such evil that the holy cup
Was caught away to Heaven and disappeared."
"-From The Holy Grail.
• • • The Holy Grail
''A legend handed down through five or six,
And each of these a hundred winters old.
From our Lord's time. And when King Arthur made •
His Table Round, and all men's hearts became
Qean for a season, surely he had thought
That now the Holy Grail would come again.
••♦••• Come now, let us meet
The morrow mom once more in one full field.
Of gracious pastime, that once more the King,
Before ye leave him for this quest, may count
The yet unbroken strength of all his knights.
Rejoicing in that Order which he made.'
« • « «
And one there was among us, ever moved
Among us in white armor, Galahad.
'God make thee good as thou art beautiful,'
Said Arthur, when he dubb'd him knight:
And none.
In so young youth, was ever made a knight
Till Galahad."
From The Holy GraSL
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S74 NATURE STUDY
My good blade carves the casques of men.
My tough lance thrusteth sure,
My strength is as the strength of ten.
Because my heart is pure.
I yearn to breathe the airs of heaven
That often meet me here.
I muse on joy that will not cease.
Pure spaces clothed in living beams.
Pure lilies of eternal peace,
Whos(e odors haunt my dreams;
* 4> 4>
The clouds are broken in the sky,
And thro' the mountain-walls
A rolling organ-harmony
Swells up, and shakes and falls.
Then move the trees, the copses nod.
Wings flutter, voices hover clear:
"O just and faithful knight of God!
Ride on! the prize is near."
So pass I hostel, hall and grange;
By bridge and ford, by park and pale
All-armed I ride what 'er betide.
Until I find the Holy Grail"
—From Sir GalahoiL
"Lo, now," said Arthur, "have ye seen a cloud?
What go ye into the wilderness to see?"
Then Galahad on the sudden, and in a voice
'Shrilling along the hall to Arthur, call'd,
"But I, Sir Arthur, saw the Holy Grail,
I saw the Holy Grail, and heard a cry —
'O Galahad, and O Galahad, follow me.* "
"Ah, Galahad, Galahad," said the King, "for such
As thou art is the vision."
* • •
In silver armour suddenly Galahad shone
Before us, and against the chapel door
Laid lance, and enter' d, and we knelt in prayer,
« • 4> *
I, Galahad, saw the Grail,
The Holy Grail. And in the strength of this I rode.
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LITERATURE 276
Shattering all evil customs everywhere.
And past thro' Pagan realms, and made them mine.
And clashed with Pagan hordes, and bore them down.
And broke thro' all, and in the strength of this
Come victor. But my time is hard at hand.
And hence I go; and one will crown me king
Far in the spiritual city."
His silver arms glanced and gloom'd: so quick and thick
The lightnings here and there, to left and right
Struck, till the dry old trunks about us, dead.
Yea, rotten with a hundred years of deaths
Sprang into fire: and at the base we found
On either hand, as far as eye could see.
A great black swamp. ♦ ♦ ♦
Not to be crost, save that some ancient king
Had built a way, where, link'd with many a bridge,
A thousand piers ran into the great sea.
And Galahad fled along them bridge by bridge.
And every bridge as quickly as he crost
Sprang into fire and vanished tho' I yearned
To follow; and thrice above him all the heavens
Open'd and blaz'd with thunder such as seem'd
Shoutings of all the sons of God; and first
At once I saw him far on the great sea,
• « * *
And with exceeding swiftness ran the boat.
If boat it were — I saw not whence it came.
And when the heavens opened and blazed again
Roaring, I saw him like a silver star —
And had he set the sail, or had the boat
Become a living creature clad with wings?
• • « *
Then in a moment when they blazed again
Opening, I saw the least of little stars
Down on the waste, and straight beyond the star
I saw the spiritual city and all her spires
And gateways in a glory like one pearl —
No larger, tho' the goal of all the saints-
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276 NATURE STUDY
Strike from the sea; and from the star there shot
A rose-red sparkle to the city, and there
Dwelt, and I knew it was the Holy Grail.
-^From The Holy Grail.^ALVRED Lord Tennyson.
King Arthur lived more than a thousand years ago in a
grand castle in Cornwall. Twelve of the bravest and noblest
of all the knights were chosen to sit with the king at a round
table, and they were called "The Knights of the Round Table."
THE VOW OF KNIGHTHOOD
"I will be faithful to God and loyal to the King. I will reverence all
women. I will ever protect the pure and helpless. I will never eng^age
in unholy wars. I will never seek to exalt myself to the injury of others.
I will speak the truth and deal justly with all men."
The legends of King Arthur and his knights were floating
around Wales, England and other countries for centuries. At
the close of the fifteenth century, Sir Thomas Mallory put into
English all the stories relating to this great and good king
and his valiant knights and ladies. Tennyson labored for more
than half a century over the productions of the Idyls of the
King — "The Coming of Arthur," "Gareth and Lynette," "Geraint
and Enid," "Merlin and Vivien," "Lancelot and Elaine," "The
Holy <}rail," "Pelleas and Ettarre," "The Last Tournament,"
"Guinevere," and "The Passing of Arthur."
He says :
"Accept this old imperfect tale
New-old and shadowing sense with soul."
In the extract from "The Coming of Arthur" what do we
learn about knighthood? What do we learn from "Guine-
vere"? Describe the hall that Merlin built for Arthur. Tell
the story of King Arthur. Who was Percivale? Galahad?
Study the picture of Sir Galahad.
Why does the name Galahad stand for valor and purity?
What is meant by Holy Grail? What was Arthur's question?
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LITERATURE 277
Galahad's answer? What pictures do you see in the last ex-
tract from "The Holy Grail"? What is a legend? When did
King Arthur live? Where? What was the vow or oath of
knighthood? Memorize the lines from Sir Galahad. How
may any boy become a knight? Teacher, read and re-read
Tennyson's poems to the children until his matchless music
reaches their hearts.
Children memorize:
BREAK, BREAK, BREAK.
Break, break, break.
On thy cold gray stones, O sea!
/ And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
O well for the fisherman's boy.
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O well for the sailor lad.
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanished hand.
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Break, break, break.
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.
—Alfred Lord Tbnnysoh.
NOTB.— Dr. Francis Bgan writes; If any man should ask me for iUvstrations of
the most evanescent quality in poetry,— that quality which is utterly incapable of
being defined, I should point to the " Break, .Break, Break" of Tennjrson and "The
Sainy Day " of I«ongf eUow.
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178 NATURE STUDY
When Tennyson left his country home at the age of twenty-
three to go to London, he wrote :
"A FAREWELL"
Flow down cold rivulet to the sea;
Thy tribute wave deliver:
No more by thee my steps shall be
Forever and forever.
Flow, softly flow, by lawn and lea,
A rivulet, then a river;
Nowhere by thee my steps shall be
Forever and forever.
But here will sigh thine alder tree
And here thine aspen shiver;
And here by thee will hum the bee
Forever and forever.
A thousand suns will stream on thee,
A thousand moons will quiver;
But not by thee my steps shall be
Forever and forever.
Children memorize:
BUGLE SONG
The splendor falls on castle walls
And snowy summits old in story.
The long light shakes across the lakes.
And the wild cataract leaps in glory.
Blow, bugle, blow! set the wild echoes flying;
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes — dying, dying,
dying?
O hark, O hear! how thin and clear.
And thinner, clearer, farther going!
O sweet and far, from cliff and scar.
The horns of Elfland faintly blowing I
Blow! let us hear the purple glens replying;
Blow, bugle; answer, echoes — dying, dying,
dying!
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LITERATURE J79
O love! they die in yon rich sky:
They faint on hill, or field or river;
OUR echoes roll from soul to soul.
And GROW forever and forever.
Blow, bugle, blow! set the wild echoes flying;
And answer, echoes, answer — dying, dying,
<^y^"»' -Tennyson.
The Bugle Song is regarded by some critics as the finest lyric
that has been written since the days of Shakespeare.
NOTa— It is based upon the contrast between the echoes of a bugle on a
mountain lake» which grow fainter and fainter In proportion to the receding dis-
tance, and the influence of sou! upon soul through growing distances of time.
The stress of meaning is in the words our and grow. Our echoes roll from
soul to soul, from grandparent to parent and grandchild. This. poem represents
unity through the family in its relation to the future.
—Dr. O'Hagan.
For memorizing after discussion :
EXTRACT FROM THE VISION OF SIR LAUNFAL
My golden spurs now bring to me,
And bring to me my richest mail.
For to-morrow I go over land and sea
In search of the Holy Grail;
Shall never a bed for me be spread^
Nor shall a pillow be under my head.
Till I begin my vow to keep;
Here on the rushes will I sleep.
And perchance there may come a vision true
Ere day create the world anew.
« * 4> ♦
The drawbridge dropped with a surly clang,
And through the dark arch a charger sprang.
Bearing Sir Launfal, the maiden knight
In the gilded mail, that flamed so bright,
It seemed the dark castle had gathered all
Those shafts the fierce sun had shot over its wall.
In his siege of three hundred summers long.
And, binding them all in one blazing sheaf.
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Had cast them forth: so, young and «trong;
And lightsome as a locust-leaf^
Sir Launfal flashed forth in his maiden mail
To seek in all climes for the Holy Grail.
* * • —Lowell.
By permission of Houghton^ Mifflin & Co.
Teacher, read to the children other extracts from this beauti-
ful vision.
A love of good literature is one of the best and most valu-
able possessions a child can receive, and he should be taught
to appreciate and to love a few genuine masterpieces before he
leaves the intermediate grades.
Willman summarizes the essentials of a good story : "There
are then five requirements to be made of a real child's story:
Let it be truly child-like, that is, both simple and full of fancy ;
let it form morals in the sense that it introduces persons and
matters which, while simple and lively, call out a moral judg-
ment of approval or disapproval ; let it be instructive and lead
to thoughtful discussions of society and nature; let it be of
permanent value, inviting perpetually to a perusal ; let it be a
connected whole, so as to work a deeper influence and become
the source of a many-sided interest."
Stories to take a strong, forceful hold upon the child's
mind must be told, not read. The oral method was employed
to communicate to the people the early literature of all coun-
tries ; the minstrels sang their ballads and the poets and his-
torians recited their productions in the open-air theaters and
in the halls of the barons. The oral treatment is well adapted
for gestures, blackboard sketching, the impersonation of char-
acters — all modes of expression. Story telling is an art and
success in this art can only be acquired by patience and by
practice. The educative influence of stories and poems con-
taining messages of truth, beauty and strength can scarcely
be estimated.
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LITERATURE 281
"We live by Admiration, Hope and Love,
And even as these are well and wisely fixed.
In dignity of being we ascend."
HOW LITTLE CEDRIC BECAME A KNIGHT
A long time ago there lived a little boy whose name was Cedric At
the foot of a high hill, on top of which stood a grand old castle,
was the stone hut in which he lived. The little boy had many a time
watched the strong, iron gate rise slowly from the ground, as out of the
courtyard of the castle would ride Sir RoUin DuBois and his faithful
soldiers. There were sometimes two, or three visiting knights and
their followers and they were a gay sight as the sun shone on their
glittering armor of steel and glanced from their bright helmets. They
looked so strong and resolute as they sat, calm and erect, in their
saddles. A glance into their fine faces would have assured you that
they were noble and brave and could be trusted by everybody, from
the King to the poorest peasant in the land. Their very horses seemed
proud to carry them as they galloped along. Little Cedric thought
there never was anything more beautiful than these knights as they came
down the hill on some quest of adventure, or errand of mercy.
One day Cedric had been playing with his pet kitten. After a good
romp with her, he had thrown himself down on the soft green grass
to rest, and the queer little kitten had gone out into the middle of
the dusty road and curled herself up for a nice nap. Suddenly Cedric
looked up, and saw five knights with all their squires and pages gal-
loping down the road! In a moment more his eye fell upon the kitten
lying fast asleep in the middle of the highway. Fearing that the horse-
men would not see her, he sprang to his feet, ran quickly forward and
gathered the soft little thing*up in his arms, just in time to save it from
the horses' feet.
As the riders passed, one of the tall knights slackened his horse and
smiling down upon Cedric said, ''My little fellow, you are almost brave
enough to be a knight some day."
Cedric stood looking after the horsemen until they seemed a mere
speck in the distance and then disappeared all together.
At last he turned to go into the house, and as he went, he said
softly to himself, "To be a knight some day!" "To be a knight some
day!" He ate his simple supper of bread and milk in silence.
That night he looked up at the stars and said in a soft, low tone,
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"Beautiful stars, do you know what a wonderful thing Sir Rollin said
to me to-day? He told me that perhaps some day I might be a knight!"
He could hardly sleep, he was so happy. The great knight had spoken
to him, had praised his courage, and^ best of all, had said that per-
haps, some day, he, Cedric« might be a great knight himself! "Could
such a thing possibly come to pass?" He asked himself this question
over and over again, until at last he fell asleep and dreamed that he
was a large, strong man, and wore a shining armor of steel and rode
a splendid black horse, and carried a great sword and that all the
people of the country round about honored and loved him because he
was one of the bravest knights in the whole land.
Just as he was dreaming that he was about to rescue a beautiful
princess from an ugly giant who had shut her up in a prison, he heard
his mother calling him. He opened his eyes and saw that the sky was
all pink and gold with the clouds of the sunrise, and that he was only
little Cedric in his attic chamber. He dressed himself quickly and
climbed down the wooden ladder to the room below.
He was soon busy and happy, helping his mother feed the doves
and water the cow and fetch hay for the two horses. After his father
had eaten his breakfast, and had gone to his work in the field, the little
would-be knight and his mother washed the dishes and tidied the two
small rooms. Cedric was very fond 'of thus helping her with the work,
and she often said, "My little boy is both son and daughter to me."
By and by she sat down to her sewing. Then Cedric could keep his
secret no longer. Going up to her, he put his arm around her neck and
whispered to her the story of the knight, how he had stopped and
spoken, and what he had said. "Do you think I could ever grow up
to be a knight, mother?" asked he. His mother smiled, and then looked
sober as she brushed his brown hair back from his forehead and said,
"Knights have many, many hard things to do, my son, and oftentimes
their lives are in danger." "Yes, I know," answered Cedric eagerly,
"but think, mother, how brave they are, and how good! Do they not
protect our country?" "Yes," said his mother, "I know all that, I could
not sleep at night when our enemies are near at hand if I did not know
that Sir Rollin Du Bois and his brave soldiers were on the hill close
by. But you are a very little boy, Cedric. Run out to your play now."
Many times during the next few weeks little Cedric thought of the
grand knights and how one of them had smiled at him and had spoken
as if he, Cedric, might some day be a great, strong knight and ride a
beautiful horse, and do brave deeds.
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LITERATURE 283
Weeks passed by ana the spring had changed into summer. One
evemng, just as the setting sun was turning all the white clouds into
gold and crimson^ Cedric stood in the low doorway wondering if where
the angels lived could be more beautiful than was the sky over his
dear mountain home. He suddenly heard the tramp of horses' feet,
and looking down across the plain, he saw a gay party of horsemen.
Their armor flashed and shone in the light of the setting sun and their
long white plumes waved in the gentle evening breeze. His face lighted
up with a glad smile, for he knew that it was Sir Rollin Du Bois and his
soldiers.
Just as they were passing the door in which Cedric stood, one of
them stopped his horse and leaning forward said, "My little man, will
you give me a drink of water?" Cedric ran quickly and filled a cup
with fresh, cool water from the spring near by, and brought it to the
knight. "Thank you," said the nobleman, as he handed the cup back
to Cedric. "I am very glad to be able to serve you," said Cedric quietly.
The knight smiled, gathered up the reins of his horse, and said, "You
are as courteous as a knight my boy."
' That evening Cedric told his mother of this second speech, and then
he asked as a wistful look came over his face. "Ah, mother dear, do
you think I can ever become a knight?"
Weeks passed into months and the soft, gray snow clouds had cov-
ered the green hills with the white mantle of winter. Whenever Cedric
felt like being rude, or cross, or selfish, he thought of the bright smile
on the great knight's face that summer evening, when he had asked for
the cup of cold' water, and he felt sure the smile would change into a
frown if the knight should see him do a discourteous or a selfish act.
A year or two had passed when one day something happened which
Cedric never forgot. His father came in from his work and said, "Sir
Rollin Du Bois wants a young lad to come to the castle to take the
place of his page who has lately been promoted. Do you think, wife,
that our Cedric is strong enough for such an office?" Cedric's heart
almost stopped beating while he listened for his mother's answer. She
thought for a few moments and then said slowly as if weighing each
word, "Yes, I think he would try very hard to do his duty, and I should
like to have him learn more of knighthood. Perhaps some day he too
may be a knight, who knows?" she added, as she turned smilingly to
the radiant face of her boy.
That very afternoon she made a bundle of his few clothes, and his
father took him by the hand and walked with him up the steep hill to
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the great castle gate. Cedric had never hefore heen so near the castle,
and when his father lifted the heavy iron knocker and brought it dowil
with two or three loud knocks, it seemed to Cedric that his heart was
knocking almost as loudly. Not that he was afraid, but he was stirred
by the thought of going into the presence of the great and noble Sir
RoUin whom all the people loved and revered.
The huge iron gate slowly lifted. The drawbridge was already
thrown across the ditch of water which surrounded the castle and in
a few moments Cedric and his father had passed under the stone arch-
way and were standing within the courtyard. A man took them into
a large room whose walls and floors were of stone^ and bade them sit
down on a wooden bench which stood near the door, saying at the
same time^ ''I will tell Sir Rollin that you are here."
They had been waiting some time when a door at the other end of
the room opened and a large, well built man, who looked so tall and
straight that he reminded Cedric of a mountain pine, came forward.
He was not dressed in armor, but Cedric knew at once that it was Sir
Rollin Du Bois. The knight talked a few moments with Cedric's father
and then turning to Cedric he said ''And you think you would like
to become a knight, my boy? Are you sure that you will not mind
hard work and will remember always to be true and pure, brave and
unselfish?" Cedric's smile was so bright that no answer was needed.
The knight turned again to his father and said, "Do you realize that
it will take some ten years or more of discipline and hard work on
the part of your boy, before he can hope to be promoted to a position
of responsibility?" "Yes," said the father quietly, "but I think he is
willing to try it."
After a little talk it was decided that the boy should begin his train-
ing then and there. So his father bade him good-bye and left. Cedric
was taken by an older boy up some stone stairs to a small room whose
ceiling, walls and floor were of stone. In the corner of the room lay
a pile of straw, over which had been thrown a sheepskin. At one side
of the room was a small table. No other furniture was in the apart-
ment save a cedar chest which was doubtless intended to serve for
both chair and wardrobe. > There was a narrow pointed window in one
side of the room through which the sunlight came. Cedric went up
to the window and looked out, but it was so high that he could see
only the blue sky and a soft white cloud. "Ah," thought Cedric to
himself, "I can at least see the stars at night and the sunlight each
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LITERATURE 286
morning. Will they not remind me always of the good God who
watches over me?"
Cedric soon found that he had not only to eat coarse food and sleep
upon a hard bed, but that he had to practice standing very straight,
running very swiftly. He must learn ,to manage a horse, to jump on
and off while the horse was in full gallop. He must learn to handle a
spear, a lance and a sword with unerring accuracy. He must be prompt
and ready to obey a call from Sir Rollin, and not only learn to do
errands faithfully and quickly, but to wait patiently and quietly often-
times when he could not understand why he waited.
Year after year passed by and little Cedric had not only grown
strong and tall, but he had grown even more in thoughtfulness and
courtesy toward all ajbout him.
One day Sir Rollin sent for him. "Cedric," said he, "I wish you to
take a message to the King. It is quite an important one and it must
reach him before to-morrow night. Get ready as quickly as you can.
Take my gray horse, as he is the swiftest one in the stables, and re-
member that I have trusted you much by sending you upon this er-
rand."
"Cedric's heart beat with joy, as he thought, "At last I have proved
faithful enough to be sent with a messaage to our great King." He
was ready in less than half an hour, and jumping on the splendid gray
charger he went galloping down the highway. On and on he rode.
At last he entered a thick forest of pine trees. The road grew
very dark and lonesome. "What if I should meet some wild beast,"
thought Cedric, but he added, half aloud, "If I am ever to be a knight,
I must learn to be brave and face every danger." It was not long before
he was quite sure that he heard a deep, low growl. His heart beat
fast, but he rode steadily forward and soon the growl was repeated,
this time nearer and more distinct, and Cedric saw in the dim light, a
great wild boar coming towards him. The creature's eyes were shin-
ing like fire, and his white tusks overhung his lower jaw in a fierce
and forbidding fashion. Cedric Jcnew that this must be the beast
which had destroyed so many of the cattle of the neighboring peas-
ants, but who was so strong and savage that no one had dared to go
near him. He spurred his horse forward as he thought, "If I kill this
wild boar I will already begin to be of service to the people of my
country." So he lifted the spear which he carried at his side, from its
leathern socket, and raising it high in the air, he hurled it swiftly at
the beast who was ready to spring upon him. In a moment more the
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wild boar rolled over upon the ground, dead. Cedric reached down and
drew his spear from its side, and as he rode on again he thought,
"Wolves and wild boars must not stop the way of a messenger of
the King. I must fear nothing if I am to be a knight."
After a time his road lay out of the forest into the sunlight As he
approached a small village he heard a great noise as of much shouting
and soon he saw a group of boys who were evidently hooting and
laughing at something in their midst. He rode up to where they
were and felt himself growing indignant as he saw an old, deformed
man standing in their midst, at whom they were jeering. In a moment
he sprang from his horse and pressing through the crowd of boys he
stood beside the old man. On his face was a flush of indignant anger.
"How dare you," he exclaimed^ "laugh at or insult an old man like
this?" The boys drew back, frightened. Although he was really no
taller than they, he seemed to tower above them. "My!" exclaimed one
of them, "doesn't he look like a knight as he stands there?" "I
shouldn't wonder if he were one," said another.
Cedric turned to the old man who was trembling in every limb.
"Where are you going?" asked he kindly. "Only to the next village,"
said the old man, "but these boys stopped me on my way. I cannot
help my deformity nor my old age. I wish I could." The tears stood
in his eyes as he spoke. "Come," said Cedric gently, "let me help you
upon my horse. I, too, am going to the next village."
When they reached the next village Cedric helped the old man from
the horse at his own door. He tightened the rein of his beautiful
horse and soon left the village far in the distance. Cedric was very
hungry, but a dry biscuit had to serve for his supper that night.
Late in the evening he reached the house at which he was to rest
his horse and he himself slept for a few hours. By dawn the next day
he was up and off on his journey.
The day grew very warm, but Cedric knew that he must not stop
for his own comfort; his errand was an important one and he must
reach tht King's palace before night.
At last the beautiful palace came in sight and in a few moments
Cedric had ridden into the courtyard. He gave his letter to a servant
to carry it to one of the squires who gave it to a courtier who presented
it to the King; for you must remember in those days a King was a very
great person, and only those men who had risen high in rank could ap-
proach him.
Among other things the note contained this message. It told the
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UTERATURE 287
King that the bearer was a young lad who had been in training for
knighthood and that Sir Rollin had found him always brave and trust-
worthy, true and noble, kind and courteous and that he, Sir Rollin,
thought if the King wanted him in his army, he would find him worthy
of the place.
The King sent for Cedric to come to him personally. Our little
boy had grown into a tall man, you know, and his frank« pure face
was good to look upon. The King told him that he wished to put him
in office in his army; and thus Cedric went to live in the King's house-
hold and here he learned many things which he could not have learned
at the castle of Sir Rollin DuBois.
Several years passed by, and Cedric had been intrusted with many
enterprises, both difficult and dangerous. At last, one day the King in-
formed him that he was worthy of the honor of knighthood.
In time he had a beautiful castle of his own, and splendid armor,
the most beautiful black horse that you ever saw. The handsome horse
used to prance and toss his head proudly in the air as if he knew what
a noble young knight he was carrying, and as Cedric rode abroad over
the country, many a time the peasants standing in their cottage doors,
would say to each other, "There goes the brave Sir Cedric of Althol-
stane. God bless him! May he live long to help protect our country."
And all the people loved him.
—Abridged. Told by Elizabeth Harrison in Story-Land. By
Permission of the Author.
ABOU BEN ADHEM
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase)!
Awoke one night from a sweet dream of peace.
And saw, within the moonlight in his room.
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom.
An angel writing in a book of gold;
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold.
And to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?" The vision raised its head.
And, with a look made of all sweet accord.
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord,'*
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low.
But cheerly still; and said "I pray thee, then,
"Write me as one who loves his fellow-men."
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The angd wrote and vaiiished The next night
It came again, with a great awakening light.
And showed the names whom love of God had blest;
And lof Ben Adhems name led all the rest
— LsxGH Huirr.
Study of poem :
THE BUILDERS
All are architects of Fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great.
Some with ornaments of rhyme.
Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.
For the structure that we raise.
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build.
Truly shape and fasten these;
Leave no yawning gaps between.
Think not, because no man sees.
Such things will remain unseen.
In the elder days of art.
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the gods see everywhere.
Let us do our work as well
Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house where God may dwell
Beautiful, entire, and clean.
Else our lives are incomplete.
Standing in these walls of Time,
Broken stairways, where the feet
Stumble as they seek to climb.
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LITERATURE 289
Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.
Thus alone can we attain
To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain.
And one boundless reach of sky.
— Longfellow.
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers.
Aim.— To influence children to perform their daily tasks
faithfully.
Preparation. — Informal talk on different occupations. Di-
rect attention to a building in process of erection. Discuss
desirability of good material well fitted together in founda-
tion ! — in every parti Show pictures of great buildings. — Pan-
tlieon. When built? Condition at present time? (Built twenty-
six B. C, and used as a church today.)
Milan Cathedral, called the eighth wonder of the world. The
carvings as delicate in the darkest cranny as upon the most
exposed surface. Thousands of statues on the roof wrought .
with the greatest care which are not seen without climbing to the
top. Nearly two thousand varieties of flowers carved in marble.
Building erected for the eye of God.
Presentation. — ^Read "The Builders." What comparison is
suggested? What is the meaning of architects? massive? tur-
rets? yawning? etc. Where are people working? What mate-
rial are they using? How did they build in the elder days of
art? Why do you think so? What is Longfellow's advice?
How can each one prepare to meet to-morrow's duties and
responsibilities? Who sees our thoughts as well as our deeds?
What is the message contained in this poem? Children,
memorize. Teacher, refer to message frequently when work
is carefully prepared by pupils, "We are building with a firm
and ample base." Why?
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Study of poem :
THE LADDER OF ST. AUGUSTINE
Saint Augustine! well hast thou said.
That of our vices we can frame
A ladder, if we will but tread
Beneath our feet each deed of shame.
All common things, each day's events.
That with the hour begin and end,
Our pleasures and our discontents,
Are rounds by which we may ascend.
The low desire, the base design.
That makes another's virtues less;
The revel of the ruddy wine.
And all occasions of excess;
The longing for ignoble things;
The strife for triumph more than truth;
The hardening of the heart, that brings
Irreverence for the dreams of youth;
All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds.
That have their root in thoughts of ill;
Whatever hinders or impedes
The action of the nobler will.
All these must first be trampled down
Beneath our feet, if we should gain
In the bright fields of fair renown
The right of eminent domain.
We have not wings, we cannot soar;
But we have feet to scale and climb
By slow degrees, by more and more.
The cloudy summits of our time.
The mighty pyramids of stone
That wedge-like cleave the desert airs.
When nearer seen, and better known.
Are but gigantic flights of stairs.
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LITERATURE 291
The distant mountains, that uprear
Their solid bastions to the skies,
Are crossed by pathways, that appear
As we to higher levels rise.
The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight.
But they, while their companions slept.
Were toiling upward in the night.
Standing on what too long we bore
With shoulders bent and downcast eyes.
We may discern— unseen before —
A path to higher destinies.
Nor deem the irrevocable Past
As wholly wasted, wholly vain,
U, rising on its wrecks, at last
To something nobler we attain.
— LofrGFSLLOW.
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers.
Poem for reading and discussion :
THE HERITAGE
The rich man's son inherits lands.
And piles of brick and stone, and gold.
And he inherits soft white hands.
And tender flesh that fears the cold.
Nor dares to wear a garment old;
A heritage it seems to me.
One scarce would wish to hold in fee.
The rich man's son mherits cares;
The banks may break, the factory burn,
A breath may burst his bubble shares.
And soft white hands could hardly earn
A living that would serve his turn;
A heritage it seems to me,
One scarce would wish to hold in fee.
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292 NATURE STUDY.
The rich man's son inherits wants.
His stomach craves for dainty fare;
With sated heart, he hears the pants
Of toiling hands with brown arms bar»
And wearies in his easy chair;
A heritage it seems to me.
One scarce would wish to hold in fee.
What doth the poor man's son inherit?
Stout muscles and a sinewy heart,
A hardy frame, a hardier spirit;
King of two hands, he does his part
In every useful toil and art;
A heritage it seems to me,
A king might wish to hold in fee.
What doth the poor man's son inherit?
Wishes o'erjoyed with humble things,
A rank adjudged by toil- won merit,
Content that from enjoyment springs,
A heart that in his labor sings;
A heritage it seems to me,
A king might wish to hold in fee.
What doth the poor man's son inherit?
A patience learned of being poor.
Courage, if sorrow come, to bear it,
A fellow-feeling that is sure
To make the outcast bless his door;
A heritage it seems to me,
A king might wish to hold in fee.
O rich man's son, there is a toil
That with all others level stands;
Large charity doth never soil.
But only whiten, soft, white hands —
This is the best crop from thy lands;
A heritage it seems to me.
Worth being rich to hold in fee.
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LITERATURE »8
O poor man's son, scorn not thy state;
There is worse weariness than thine.
In merely being rich and great;
Toil only gives the soul to shine.
And makes rest fragrant and benign;
A heritage it seems to me.
Worth being poor to hold in fee.
Both, heirs to some six feet of sod.
Are equal in the earth at last; i
Both children of the same dear God,
Prove title to your heirship vast
By record of a well-filled past
A heritage it seems to me.
Well worth a life to hold in fee.
By permission of Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers.
What is a heritage? What does the rich man's son inherit?
the poor man's? Give the poet's advice to each. What les-
son does the writer teach?
Story for reproduction :
A CHILD'S DREAM OF A STAR
There was once a child, and he strolled about a good deai, and
thought of a number of things. He had a sister, who was a child too»
and his constant companion. These two used to wonder all day long.
They wondered at the beauty of the flowers; they wondered at the
height and the blueness of the sky; they wondered at the depth of the
bright water; they wondered at the goodness and the power of God
who made the lovely world.
They used to say to one another, sometimes, supposing all the chil*
dren upon earth were to die, would the flowers, and the water, and
the sky be sorry? They believed they would be sorry. For, said they,
the buds are the children of the flowers, and the little playful streams
that gambol down the hillsides are the children of the water; and the
smallest bright specks playing at hide-and-seek in the sky all night,
must surely be the children of the stars; and they would all be grieved
to see their playmates, the children of men, no more.
There was one clear shining star that used to come out in the sky
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before the rest, near the church-spire, above the graves. It was larger
and more beautiful, they thought, than all the others, and every night
they watched for it, standing hand in hand at the window. Whoever
saw it first, cried out: "I see the star!" And often they cried out both
together, knowing so well when it would rise, and where. So they
grew to be such friends with it that before lying down in their beds,
they always looked out once again, to bid it good-night; and when they
were turning round to sleep, they used to say, "God bless the star."
But while she was still very young, O very, very young, the sister
drooped, and came to be so weak that she could no longer stand in
the window at night; and then the child looked sadly out by himself,
and when he saw the star, turned round and said to the patient pale
face on the bed, "I see the star!" And then a smile would come upon
the face, and a little weak voice used to say, "God bless my brother
and the star!"
And so the time came all too soon! when the child looked out alone,
and when there was no face on the bed; and then there was a little grave
among the graves, not there before; and when the star made long
rays down towards him, as he saw it through his tears.
Now these rays were so bright, and they seemed to make such a
shining way from the earth to heaven, that when the child went to his
solitary bed, he dreamed about the star, and dreamed that, lying where
he was, he saw a train of people taken up that sparkling road by angels.
And the star, opening, showed him a great world of light, where many
more such angels waited to receive them.
All these angels who were ¥raiting« turned their beaming eyes upon
the people who were carried up into the star; and some came out from
the long rows in which they stood, and fell upon the people's necks,
and kissed them tenderly, and went away with them down avenues of
light, and were so happy in their company, that lying in his bed he
wept for joy.
But there were many angels who did not go with them, and among
them one he knew. The patient face that once had lain upon the bed
was glorified and radiant, but his heart found out his sister among all
the host. His sister's angel lingered near the entrance of the star and
said to the leader among those who had brought the people thither, —
"Is my brother come?" And he said, "No." She was turning hopefully
away, when the child stretched out his arms and cried, "O sister, I am
here! Take me!" And then she turned her beaming eyes upon him and
it was night; and the star was shining into the room making long rays
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LITERATURE 295
down towards him as he saw it through his tears. From that hour
forth the child looked out upon the star as upon the home he was to go
to, when his time should come; and he thought that he did not belong
to the earth alone, but to the star too, because of his sister's angel gone
before.
There was a baby born to be a brother to the child; and while he
was so little that he never yet had spoken a word, he stretched his tiny
form out on his bed and died.
Again the child dreamed of the opened star and of the company of
angels, and the train of people, and the rows of angels with their
beaming eyes all turned upon those people's faces. Said his sister's
angel to the leader, "Is my brother come?" And he said, "Not that
one, but another." As the child beheld his brother's angel in her arms,
he cried "O sister, I am here! Take me;" and she turned and smiled
upon him« and the star was shining.
He grew to be a young man and was busy at his books, when an
old servant came to him and said: "Thy mother is no more. I bring
her blessing on her darling son!" Again at night, he saw the star,
and all that former company. Said his sister's angel to the leader: "Is
my brother come?" And he said, "Thy mother!"
A mighty cry of joy went forth through all the star because the
mother was reunited to her two children. And he streched out his
arms and cried, "O mother, sister, and brother, I am here! Take me!"
And they answered him, "Not yet." And the star was shining.
He grew to be a man whose hair was turning gray, and he was sit-
ting in his chair by the fireside, heavy with grief, and with his face
bedewed with tears when the star opened once again.
Said his sister's angel to the leader, "Is my brother come?" And
he said, "Nay, but his maiden daughter."
And the man, who had been the child saw his daughter newly lost
to him, a celestial creature among those three, and he said, '^y
daughter's head is on my sister's bosom, and her arm is round my
mother's neck, and at her feet there is the baby of old time, and I can
bear the parting from her, God be praised!" And the star was shining.
Thus the child came to be an old man, and his once smooth face
was wrinkled, and his steps were slow and feeble, and his back was
bent. And one night as he lay upon his bed, his children standing
round, he cried, as he had cried so long ago, — "I see the star!" They
whispered one another, "He is dying." And he said, "I am. My age
is falling from me like a garment, and I move towards the star as a
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296 NATURE STUDY
child. And, O my Father, now I thank thee that it has so often opened
to receive those dear ones who await me!" And the star was shining;
and it shines upon his grave. — Charles Dickens.
Children, memorize this beautiful word picture after study-
ing the flower and discussing the poem.
THE DAFFODILS
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake beneath the trees.
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never ending line
Along the margin of a bay;
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee;
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company;
I gazed— and gazed— but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought;
For oft. when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood^
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.
—William Wordsworth.
Teacher, read the poem several times without comment.
You have heard what a great poet thought and felt when he
saw the daffodils. What pictures did you see while listening
to the reading of the poem? Which one do you like best?
What ideas are suggested by the words host? never ending?
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LITERATURE 297
crowd? by the words fluttering? dancing? tossing? sprightly?
by the words golden? sparkling? flash? pensive? jocund? sol-
itary? Compare the first line with the third line in third
stanza.
What lines tell us of the joy the poet felt long after h6 saw
the flowers? How did the scene bring wealth? Will gazing
at and thinking about what is truly beautiful enable us to store
up happiness for the future? Give illustrations. Paint picture
the last three lines of first stanza makes you see.
Poem to be memorized after thoughtful discussion :
THE SOLITARY REAPER
Behold her single in the field.
Yon solitary Highland lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
Oh listen! for the vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.
No nightingale did ever chant
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travelers in some shady haunt.
Among Arabian sands.
A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard.
In spring-time from the cuckoo bird.
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.
Whatever the theme, the maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work.
And o'er the sickle bending; —
I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill.
The music in my heart I bore.
Long after it was heard no more.
—William Wordsworth.
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298 NATURE STUDY
In this poem the poet gfives us a charming picture of a girl
in the Highlands of Scotland. Lessons on "The Gleaners''
by Millet and the "Song of the Lark" by Breton will help
children to appreciate this literary gem. Read to children
extracts from Burrough's "Search for a Nightingale." Recall
the story of "The Child of the Desert" by Jane Andrews.
Visit in imagination the Hebrides — ^rocky islands far out in
the ocean — seldom visited by people. The nightingale is re-
nowned for its sweet song ; it sings in quiet places and is often
heard at midnight. The cuckoo is also a noted songster.
Teacher, read poem and help children to see the pictures.
Find lines that tell what the maiden is doing. Read the first
two lines of each stanza. Read the last two lines of each
stanza. Do you see the weary travelers? the Scotch lass
singing and working? Wordsworth motionless and still?
Which picture do you like best in this poem ? The song made
a lasting impression on the poet. What reason have we for
thinking so? Read the last two lines of "The Daflfodils."
Compare with the last lines of "The Reaper."
STUDY OF POEM
DRIFTING
My soul to-day
Is far away^
Sailing the Vesuvian Bay;
My winged boat,
A bird afloat,
Swims round the purple peaks remote.
Round purple peaks
It sails, and seeks
Blue inlets and their crystal creeks,
Where high rocks throw,
Through deeps below,
A duplicated golden glow.
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LITERATURE 299
Far. vague and dim
The mountains swim;
While on Vesuvius* misty brim.
With outstretched hands.
The gray smoke stands,
O'erlooking the volcanic lands.
In lofty lines,
'Mid palms and pines.
And olives^ aloes, elms and vines^
Sorrento swings,
On sunset wings,
Where Tasso's spirit soars and sings.
Here Ischia smiles
O'er liquid miles.
And yonder, bluest of the isles.
Calm Capri waits.
Her sapphire gates
Beguiling to her bright estates.
I heed not, if
My rippling skiff
Float swift or slow from cliff to diff;-^
With dreamful eyes
My spirit lies
Under the walls of Paradise.
Under the walls.
Where swells and falls
The bay's deep breast at intervals.
At peace I lie.
Blown softly by,
A cloud upon this liquid sky.
With dreamful eyes
My spirit lies.
Where Summer sings and never dies
O'erveiled with vines.
She glows and shines
Among her future oil and wines.
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800 NATURE STUDY
No more, no more
The worldly shore
Upbraids me with its wild uproar I
With dreamful eyes
My spirit lies
Under the walls of Paradise!
—Thomas Buchanan Read (Abridged).
By permission of J. B. Lippincott Co.
Aim.— To familiarize children with a choice word painting.
Preparation. — ^Review lessons on the Bay of Naples, Vesu-
vius, Sorrento, Ischia and Capri. Recall the fact that Sor-
rento in the days of Augustus rivaled the beautiful city of
Naples.
Stoddard writes : "A jewel rivaling even Capri in the gor-
geous setting of the Bay of Naples, is the island of Ischia,
which every year for centuries, has siren-like, lured thousands
of admirers to the sea-girt cliffs."
Presentation.*— Teacher, read the poem to children several
times without comment. Ask them to imagine the pictures
while listening to the words. Do you see the winged boat?
Where is it sailing? What seeking? Think how "purple
peaks," "liquid miles," "crystal creeks," "misty brim," — ^all help
you to see what the poet saw. Find expressions in the poem
that suggest bright sparkling pictures — "duplicated golden
glow," "sunset swings," "sapphire gates." Find expressions
that suggest distance? — "Peaks remote," "far, vague and dim."
Color? — "Bluest isles," "gray smoke," etc. Compare picture
of Sorrento with picture of Ischia. Describe "Capri" and
compare with Sorrento. What trees named in the poem have
you not seen ? What lines suggest delightful climate ? What
stanzas suggest peace and contentment? Paint two pictures
the poet makes you see. Memorize poem.
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UTERATURE 801
Children memorize:
Dwells within the soul of every artist
More than all his efforts can express;
And he knows the best remains unuttered
Sighing at what WE call his success.
No great thinker ever lived and taught you
All the wonders that his soul received;
No true painter ever set on canvas
All the glorious visions he conceived.
No musician ever held your spirit
Charmed and bound in his melodious chains.
But be sure he heard, and strove to render
Feeble echoes of celestial strains.
No real poet ever wove in numbers
All his dreams; but the diviner part.
Hidden from all the world, spoke to him only
In the voiceless silence of his heart.
—Adelaide Proctor.
Poem for reading and discussion. Study "Christ Blessing
Little Children'' in connection with this poem.
CHRIST AND THE LITTLE ONES
"The Master has come over Jordan,"
Said Hannah the mother one day;
"He is healing the people who throng Him,
With a touch of His finger they say.
"And now I shall take Him the children.
Little Rachel and Samuel and John,
I shall carry the baby Esther,
For the Lord to look upon."
The father looked at her kindly.
But he shook his head and smiled;
"Now who but a doting mother
Would think of a thing so wild?
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802 NATURE STUDY
"If the children were tortured by demons.
Or dying of fever, 'twere well;
Or had they the taint of the leper.
Like many in Israel."
"Nay, do not hinder me, Nathan;
I feel such a burden of care.
If I carry it to the Master,
Perhaps I shall leave it there.
If He lay His hand on the children.
My heart will be lighter, I know;
For a blessing forever and ever
Will follow them as they go."
So over the hills of Judah,
Along by the vine-rows green.
With Esther asleep on her bosom.
And Rachel her brothers between;
'Mid the people who hung on His teaching.
Or waited His touch or His word, —
Through the row of proud Pharisees listening
She pressed to the feet of the Lord.
"Now, why shouldst thou hinder the Master,"
Said Peter, "with children like these?
Seest thou how from morning till evening
He teacheth and healeth disease?"
Then Christ said, "Forbid not the children.
Permit them to come unto me!"
And He took in His arms little Esther,
And Rachel He set on His knee;
And the heavy heart of the mother
Was lifted all earth-care above,
As He laid His hands on the brothers.
And blest them with tenderest love;
And He said of the babes in His bosom,
"Of such are the kingdom of heaven" —
And strength for all duty and trial.
That hour to her spirit was given.
—Julia Gill.
Literature and Art-^McBnde, Publishers.
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The Lark — By Jules Adolphe Breton
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LITERATURE 308
STUDY OF POEM
Children memorize the poem after class discussion.
Each stanza paints a beautiful picture.
TO A SKYLARK
Hail to thee, blithe spirit!
Bird thou never wert.
That from heaven, or near it,
Pourest thy full heart
In profuse strains of unpremediated art.
Higher and still higher,
From the earth thou springest
Like a cloud of fire;
The blue deep thou wingest,
And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest
In the golden lightning
Of the sunken sun.
O'er which clouds are bright'ning,
Thou dost float and run.
Like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun.
The pale purple even
Melts around thy flight;
Like a star of heaven.
In the broad daylight
Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill delight
• • •
All the earth and air
With thy voice is loud,
As, when night is bare.
From one lonely cloud
The moon rains out her beams, and heaven is overflowed.
What thou art we know not;
What is most like thee?
From rainbow clouds there flow not
Drops so bright to see.
As from thy presence showers a rain of melody.
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304 NATURE STUDY.
Like a poet hidden
In the light of thought.
Singing hymns unbidden.
Till the world is wrought
To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not
• • •
Teach us, sprite or bird.
What sweet thoughts are thine:
I have never heard
Praise of love or wine
That panted forth a flood of rapture so divine.
We look before and after.
And pine for what is not;
Our sincerest laughter
With some pain is fraught;
Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought
• • •
Better than all measures
Of delightful sound.
Better than all treasures
That in books are found.
Thy skill to poet were, thou scorner of the ground.
Teach me half the gladness
That thy brain must know.
Such harmonious madness
From my lips would flow.
The world should listen then, as I am listening now.
—Percy Bysshe Shellxy.
(Abridged.)
Compare Shelley's Tribute to the Skylark with Jas. Hogg's.
THE SKYLARK
Bird of the wilderness.
Blithesome and cumberless.
Sweet be thy matin o'er moorland and leal
Emblem of happiness.
Blest is thy dwelling place —
Oh. to abide in the desert with thee!
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LITERATURE 806
Wild is thy lay and lottd.
Far in the downy cloud.
Love gives it energy, love gave it birth.
Where, on thy dewy wing.
Where art thou journeying?
Thy lay is in heaven, thy love is on earth.
O'er fell and fountain sheen.
O'er moor and mountain green.
O'er the red streamer that heralds the day.
O'er the cloudlet dim,
O^er the rainbow's rim.
Musical cherub, soar, singing away!
Then when the gloaming comes.
Low in the heather blooms
Sweet will thy welcome and bed of love be!
Emblem of happiness.
Blest is thy dwelling place.
Oh, to abide in the desert with thee!
— Jas. Hogg.
THE RETURN OF COLUMBUS
The fame of the discovery made by Columbus had resounded through-
out the nation, and, as his route lay through several of the finest and
most populous provinces of Spain, his journey appeared like the pro-
gress of a sovereign.
Wherever he passed, the country poured forth its inhabitants, who
lined the road and thronged the villages. The streets, windows and bal-
conies of the towns were filled with eager spectators, who rent the air
with acclamations.
His journey was continually impeded by the multitude pressing to
gain a sight of him and of the Indians, who were regarded with as
much astonishment as if they had been natives of another planet.
It was impossible to satisfy the craving curiosity, which assailed him-
self and his attendants at every stage with innumerable questions. Pop-
ular rumor, as usual, had exaggerated the truth, and had filled the
newly found country with all kind of wonders.
About the middle of April, Columbus arrived at Barcelona, where
every preparation had been made to give him a solemn and magnificent
reception. The beauty and serenity of the weather in that genial season
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806 NATURE STUDY
and favored climate contributed to give splendor to this memorable
ceremony. As he drew near the place, many of the more youthful cour-
tiers and hidalgos, together with a vast concourse of the populace, came
forth to meet and welcome him. His entrance into this noble city has
been compared to one of those triumphs which the Romans were ac-
customed to decree to conquerors. First were paraded the Indians,
painted according to their savage fashion, and decorated with their
national ornaments of gold; after these wer^ borne various kinds of
live parrots, together with stuffed birds and animals of unknown species,
and rare plants supposed to be of precious qualities; while great care
was taken to make a conspicuous display of Indian coronets, bracelets,
and other decorations of gold, which might give an idea of the wealth
of the newly discovered regions. After this followed Columbus on horse
back, surrounded by a brilliant cavalcade of Spanish chivalry.
The streets were almost impassable from the countless multitude;
the windows and balconies were crowded with the fair; the very roofs
were covered with spectators. It seemed as if the public eye could not
be sated with gazing on these trophies of an unknown world, or on the
remakable man by whom it had been discovered.
There was sublimity in this event that mingled a solemn feeling with
the public joy. It was looked upon as a vast and signal dispensation
of Providence in reward for the piety of the monarchs; and the majestic
and the venerable appearance of the discoverer, so different from the
youth and buoyancy generally expected from roving enterprise, seemed
in harmony with the grandeur and dignity of his achievements.
To receive him with suitable pomp and distinction, the sovereigns had
ordered their throne to be placed in public, under a rich canopy of bro-
cade of gold, in a vast and splendid saloon. Here, the king and queen
awaited his arrival, seated in state, with the Prince Juan beside them,
and attended by the dignitaries of their court, and the principal nobility
of Castile, Valencia, Catalonia and Aragon, all impatient, to behold the
man who had conferred so incalculable a benefit upon the nation. "At
length, Columbus entered the hall, surrounded by a brilliant crowd of
cavaliers," among whom, says Las Casas, "he was conspicuous for his
stately and commanding person, which, with his countenance rendered
venerable by his gray hairs, gave him the august appearance of a sena-
tor of Rome. A modest smile lighted up his features, showing that he
enjoyed the state and glory in which he came; and certainly nothing
could be more deeply moving to a mind inflamed by noble ambition,
and conscious of having greatly deserved, than these testimonials of
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UTERATURE 807
admiration and gratitude of a nation, or rather of a world. As Colum-
bus approached, the sovereigns rose, as if receiving a person of the
highest rank. Bending his knees, he offered to kiss their hands; but
there was some hesitation on their part to permit this act of homage.
Raising him in the most gracious manner, they ordered him to seat
himself in their presence; a rare honor in this proud and punctilious
court."
At their request, he now gave an account of the most striking events
of his voyage, and a description of the islands discovered. He displayed
specimens of unknown birds and other animals; of rare plants of medic-
inal and aromatic virtues, of native gold in dust and crude masses, or
labored into barbaric ornaments; and, above all, the natives of these
countries, who are objects of intense and inexhaustible interest. All
these he pronounced mere harbingers of greater discoveries yet to be
made, which would add realms of incalculable wealth to the dominions
of their majesties, and the whole nations of proselytes to the true faith.
When he had finished, the sovereigns sank on their knees, and, rais-
ing their clasped hands to heaven, their eyes filled with tears of joy and
gratitude, poured forth thanks and praises to God for so great a provi-
dence; all present followed their example; a deep and solemn enthusiasm
pervaded that splendid assembly, and prevented all common acclamations
of triumph. The anthem, "Te Deum Laudamus," chanted by the choir
of the royal chapel, with the accompaniment of instruments, rose in
full body of sacred harmony, bearing up, as it were, the feelings and
thoughts of the auditors to heaven, "so that," says the venerable Las
Casas, ''It seemed as if in that hour they communicated with the celes-
tial delights."
Such was the solemn and pious manner in which the brilliant court
of Spain celebrated this sublime event; offering up a grateful tribute of
melody and praise and giving glory to God for the discovery of another
world.
—^Washington Irving.
By permission of Putman's Sons.
After discussing "The Return of Columbus" read "Colum-
bus," and help the children to see the brave admiral as his
frail ship was tossing on a "mad sea" "that night of all dark
nights,"
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808 NATURE STUDY
COLUMBUS.
(Taken from the complete Works of Joaquin Miller, copyrighted, by
permission of the Publishers, The Whitaker and Ray Company, San
Francisco.)
Behind him lay the gay Azores,
Behind the Gates of Hercules,
Before him not the ghost of shores.
Before him only shoreless seas.
The good mate said, ''Now must we pray.
For, lo, the very stars are gone;
Speak, Admiral, now what shall I say?"
"Why, say, 'Sail on, sail on, sail on and on!'"
"My men grow mutinous day by day.
My men grow ghastly, wan, and weak;"
The stout mate thought of home; a spray
Of salt wave washed his cheek.
"What shall I say, brave Admiral, say,
If we sight naught but seas at dawn?"
"Why, you may say at break of day,
'Sail on, sail on, sail on and on I' "
They sailed and sailed as winds might blow.
Until at last the blanched mate said:
"Why, now, not even God would know
Should I and all my men fall dead.
These very winds forget their way.
For God from these dread seas is gone.
Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say!"
He said: '"Sail on, sail on, sail on and on!'"
They sailed, they sailed, then spoke the mate:
"This mad sea shows his teeth to-night;
He curls his lips, he lies in wait
With lifted teeth as if to bite.
Brave Admiral, say but one good word,
What shall we do when hope is gone?"
*lu a recent critical article, In the London Athemgum is the sentence: "In point of
power, workmanship and f eelinif, among aU the poems written by Americana, we an
incUned to gire first place to the ' Port off ShljM ' (or * Columbus *) by Joaquin Miller."
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LITERATURE 909
The words leaped as a leaping sword:
"'Sail on, sail on, sail on and on!'"
Then sad and worn he kept his deck
And peered through darkness— oh, that night
Of all dark nights!— and then a speck,
"Alight! Alight! Alight! Alight!"
It grew, a starlit flag unfurled;
It grew to be Time's burst of dawn.
He gained a world; he gave that world
Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on."
STUDY OF POEM
THE LEGEND BEAUTIFUL
"Had'st thou staid, I must have fled!"
That is what the Vision said.
In his chamber all alone.
Kneeling on the floor of stone,
Prayed the monk in deep contrition
For his sins of indecision.
Prayed for greater self-denial.
In temptation and in trial;
It was noonday by the dial.
And the monk was all alone.
Suddenly, as if it lightened,
An unwonted splendor brightened
All within him and without him.
In that narrow cell of stone;
And he saw the Blessed Vision,
Of our Lord with light Elysian,
Like a vesture wrapped about him.
Like a garment round him thrown.
In an attitude imploring.
Hands upon his bosom crossed.
Wondering, worshiping, adoring,
Knelt the monk in rapture lost.
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Lord, he thonght, in heaven that reignesty
Who am I, that thus thou deignest.
To reveal thyself to me?
Who am I, that from the centre
Of thy glory, thou shouldst enter
This poor cell, my guest to be?
Then amid his exaltation^
Loud the convent bell appalling.
From its belfry calling, calling.
Rang through court and corridor.
With persistent iteration
He had never heard before.
It was now the appointed hour.
When alike in shine or shower.
Winter's cold or summer's heat.
To the convent portals came
All the blind and halt and lame.
All the beggars of the street.
For their daily dole of food.
Dealt them by the brotherhood;
And their almoner was he.
Who upon his bended knee.
Rapt in silent ecstasy
Of divinest self-surrender.
Saw the Vision and the Splendor.
Deep distress and hesitation.
Mingled with his adoration;
Should he go, or should he stay?
Should he leave the poor to wait.
Hungry at the convent gate,
Till the Vision passed away?
Should he slight his radiant guest.
Slight this visitant celestial.
For a crowd of ragged, bestial
Beggars at the convent gate?
Would the Vision there remain?
^ Would the Vision come again?
Then a voice within his breast
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UTERATURE 811
Whispered, audible and clear.
As if to the outward ear:
"Do thy duty; that is best;
Leave unto the Lord the rest!"
Straightway to his feet he started.
And with longing look intent
On the Blessed Vision bent.
Slowly from his cell departed.
Slowly on his errand went.
At the gate the poor were waiting.
Looking through the iron grating.
With that terror in the eye.
That is only seen in those
Who amid their wants and woes.
Hear the sound of doors that close.
And of feet that pass them by;
Grown familiar with the savor
Of the bread by which men die;
But to-day, they knew not why,
Like the gate of Paradise,
Seemed the convent gate to rise.
Like a sacrament divine.
Seemed to them the bread and wine.
In his heart the monk was praying.
Thinking of the homeless poor.
What they suffer and endure;
What we see not, what we see;
And the inward voice was saying;
"Whatsoever thing thou doest
To the least of mine and lowest,
' That thou doest unto me!"
Unto me! but had the Vision
Come to him in beggar's clothing.
Come a mendicant imploring.
Would he then have knelt adoring
Or have listened with derision.
And have turned away with loathing?
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818 NATURE STUDY
Thus his conscience put the question.
Full of troublesome suggestion.
As at length, with hurried pace.
Towards his cell he turned his face,
And beheld the convent bright.
With a supernatural light.
Like a luminous cloud expanding.
Over floor and wall and ceiling.
But he paused with awe-struck feeling
At the threshold of his door«
For the Vision still was standing
As he left it there before.
When the convent bell appalling.
From its belfry calling, calling.
Summoned him to feed the poor.
Through the long hour intervening
. It had waited his return.
And he felt his bosom bum.
Comprehending all the meaning.
When the Blessed Vision said:
"Had'st thou stayed, I must have fledl"
— LONGFBLLOW.
By permission, Houghton, Mifflin Co.
For discussion and reproduction :
THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN
Hamelin Town's in Brunswick,
By famous Hanover city,
The river Weser deep and wide
Washes its wall on the southern side;
A pleasanter spot you never spied;
But, when begins my ditty,
Almost five hundred years ago.
To see the town folks suffer so
From vermin, was a pity.
Rats!
They fought the dogs and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in their cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats.
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UTERATURB 318
And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles.
Split open the kegs of salted sprats.
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats.
And even spoiled the women's chats.
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking,
In fifty di£Ferent sharps and flats.
At last the people in a body.
To the town-hall came flocking;
# • •
An hour they sat in council.
At length the mayor broke silence:
"For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell;
• • •
Oh, for a trap, a trap, a trap!"
Just as he said this, what should hap
At the chamber door but a gentle tap?
"Bless us," cries the mayor, "what's that?
Anything like the sound of a rat
Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!
"Come in," the mayor cried looking bigger.
And in did come the strangest figure!
His queer long coat, from heel to head.
Was half of yellow and half of red;
And he himself was tall and thin,
With sharp blue eyes, each like a pin
And light, loose hair, yet swarthy skin.
No tuft on cheek, nor beard on chin.
But lips where smiles went out and in.
There was no guessing his kith or kin!
And nobody could enough admire
The tall man and his quaint attire.
# # #
He advanced to the council table:
And, "Please your honors," said he, "I'm able.
By means of a secret charm, to draw
All creatures living beneath the sun.
That creep, or swim, or fly, or run.
After me so as you never saw!
And I chiefly use my charm
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814 NATURE STUDY
On creatures that do people harm,
The mole, the toad, the newt, the viper;
And people call me the Pied Piper.
• • •
Will you give me a thousand guilders?"
"One? Fifty thousand 1 was the exclamation
Of the astonished mayor and corporation.
Into the street the Piper stept.
Smiling first a little smile.
As if he knew what magic slept
In his quiet pipe the while;
Then, like a musical adept.
To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled
Like a candle flame where salt is sprinkled;
And ere three shrill notes the pipe had uttered.
You heard as if an army muttered;
And the muttering grew to a grumbling;
And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling.
And out of the houses the rats came tumbling.
Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats.
Brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats.
Grave old plodders, gay young friskers.
Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins.
Cocking tails and pricking whiskers,
Families by tens and dozens.
Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives —
Followed the Piper for their lives,
From street to street he piped advancing,
And step for step they followed dancing
Until they came to the river Weser,
Wherein all plunged and perished.
Save one, who stout as Julius Caesar,
Swam across, and lived to carry
(As he, the manuscript he cherished)
To Rat-land home his commentary.
• « «
You should have heard^ the Hamelin people
Ringing the bells till they rocked the steeple;
"Go," cried the mayor, "and get long poles!
Poke out the nests and block up the holes,
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UTERATURB 318
Consult with carpenters and builders.
And leave in our town not even a trace
Of the rats!" When suddenly, up the face
Of the Piper perched in the market-place,
With a "First, if you please my thousand guilders!"
"A thousand guilders!" The Mayor looked blue,
So did the corporation^ too.
# • •
To pay this sum to a wandering fellow
With a gypsy coat of red and yellow!
''Besides/' quoth the mayor, with a knowing wink,
"Our business was done at the river's bank;
m
But as for the guilders, what we spoke
Of them, as you very well know, was in joke.
Beside our losses have made us thrifty:
A thousand guilders! Come take fifty!"
The Pipers face fell, and he cried,
^No trifling! I can't wait! beside
I've promised to visit by dinner-time
Bagdat, • ♦ •
And folks who put me in a passion
May find me pipe after another fashion."
# • #
•*You threaten us, fellow? Do your worsts
Blow your pipe there till you burst"
Once more he stept into the street.
And to his lips again
Laid his long pipe of smooth, straight cane;
And ere he blew three notes (such sweet
Soft notes as yet musician's cunning
Never gave the enraptured air).
There was a rustling that seemed like a bustling.
Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling.
Small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering,
Little hands clapping and little tongues chattering,
And, like fowls in a farm-yard where barley is scattering.
Out came the children running.
All the little boys and girls.
With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls,
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And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls,
Tripping and skipping, ran merrily after
The wonderful music with shouting and laughter.
The mayor was dumb^ and the council stood
As if they were changed into blocks of wood.
Unable to move a step or cry
To the children merrily skipping by —
And could only follow with the eye
That joyous crowd at the Piper's back,
And now the mayor was on the rack.
And the wretched council's bosoms beat.
As the Piper turned from the High Street
To where the Weser rolled its waters
Right in the way of their sons and daughters I
However, he turned from south to west,
And to Koppelberg Hill his step addressed;
And after him the children pressed;
Great was the joy in every breast.
"He never can cross that mighty top;
He's forced to let the piping drop.
And we shall see our children stopl"
When lo, as they reached the mountain's side,
A wondrous portal opened wide.
As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed;
And the Piper advanced and the children followed;
And when all were in to the very last.
The door in the mountain side shut fast;
Did 1 say, all? No! One was lame.
And could not dance the whole of the way;
And in after years if you would blame
His sadness, he was used to say, —
It's dull in our town since my playmates left I
I can't forget that I'm bereft
Of all the pleasant sights they see
Which the Piper also promised me;
For he led us^ he said, to a joyous land,
Joining the town and just at hand/
Where waters gushed and fruit-trees grew,
And flowers put forth a fairer hue,
And everything was strange and new;
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LITERATURE 317
The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here
And their dogs outran our fallow-deer.
And honey bees had lost their stings,
And horses were born with eagles' wings;
And just as I became assured
My lame foot would be speedily cured,
The music stopped and I stood still,
And found myself outside the hill.
Left alone against my will.
To go now limping as before,
And never hear of that country more!"
Alas! Alas for Hamelin!
# « •
The mayor sent east, west, north and south.
To offer the Piper by word of mouth,
Wherever it was men's lot to find him.
Silver and gold to his heart's content, ,
If he'd only return the way he went.
And bring the children behind him.
But when they saw 'twas a lost endeavor.
The Piper and dancers were gone forever.
# « «
The place of the children's last retreat,
They called it the Pied Piper's Street—
Where any one playing on pipe or tabor
Was sure for the future to lose his labor
Nor suffered they hostelry or tavern
To shock with mirth a street so solemn;
But opposite the place of the cavern
They wrote the story on a column.
« « •
So Willy, let you and me be wipers
Of scores out with all men— especially pipers;
And, whether they pipe us free from rats or mice.
If we've promised them aught, let us keep our promise.
—Robert Browning.
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818 NATURE STUDY
OUR FLAG
Teacher, review briefly the story of our country's trouble
with England. Show pictures of different flags and tell the
children when and by whom the first United States flag was
made. Explain the meaning of symbolism of the colors in our
flag.
White stands for purity, hope and peace ; red signifies cour-
age, defiance and readiness to die for a just cause; and blue
is a symbol of justice, loyalty and truthfulness.
Children memorize:
THE AMERICAN FLAG
When Freedom^ from her mountain height.
Unfurled her standard to the air,
She tore the azure robe of night.
And set the stars of glory there.
She mingled with its gorgeous dyes
The milky baldric of the skies.
And striped its pure celestial white
With streakings of the morning light;
Then from his mansion in the sun
She called her eagle bearer down.
And gave unto his mighty hand
The symbol of her chosen land.
# # # #
Flag of the free heart's hope and home I
By angel hands to valor given;
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome,
And all thy hues were born in heaven.
Forever float that standard sheet!
Where breathes the foe but falls before us.
With Freedom's soil beneath our feet.
And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us?
—Joseph Rodman Draxs.
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LITERATURE 819
STORY OF THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
This song was written during our second war with Eng*
land. In 1814 Fort Henry (guarding the entrance to Balti-
more) was unsuccessfully bombarded by the British. A young
lawyer named Francis Scott Key was held as a prisoner on
board one of the English ships and all night he watched eagerly
to see by "the rockets' red glare" if the flag he loved so well
was still waving over the fort. The flag was the one adopted
in 1794 consisting of fifteen stripes. It was forty feet long
and twenty-nine feet wide. The stripes were nearly two feet
wide and the stars were each two feet from point to point.
When daylight came Key's joy knew no bounds; the Star
Spangled banner was still waving and he gave expression to his
feelings in the following poem that we should all know and love :
"THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER"
O, say, can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air.
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On that shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep.
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes.
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep.
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam.
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream;
'Tis the star spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave I
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battles confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood hath washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
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No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave;
And the star spangled banner in triumph doth wave.
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand.
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just.
And this be our motto, "In God is our trust;"
And the star spangled banner in triumph shall wave.
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
— Francts Scott Kiy
SALUTE TO OUR FLAG
Our Flag! May your folds ever wave on the breeze
As an emblem of peace on land and on seas.
A sign of our courage the red of the dawn
Which flushes the sky at the day's early mom;
A symbol of loyalty, tender and true.
We take from the sky its own beautiful blue;
For purity, innocence, loyalty, right
We've chosen the color most fitting — ^pure white!
What a story you tell, to countries and climes!
What a lesson you teach to ages and times!
In your stars and your bars the whole world may see
You stand for a nation, the home of the free!
We salute you, dear Flag, with your red and white bars.
May your * Union * shine ever with glorious stars.
Your folds shelter freemen; as years roll along
May all nations and people learn libertjr's song.
We promise you here that we'll always be true
And, if need be, we'll die for the "Red, White, and Blue."
— B. Ellen Burkb.
The UNION of the United States flag is the upper, inner comer; the
rest of the flag is called the FLY.
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LITERATURE 321
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY
(The women of Columbus. Mississippi, strewed flowers alike on the
graves of the Confederate and the National soldiers.)
Children memorize: '
By the flow of the inland river^
Whence the fleets of iron have fled,
Where the blades of the grave grass quiver,
Asleep are the ranks of the dead:
Under the sod and the dew.
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the one, the Blue,
Under the other, the Gray.
These in the robings of glory,
Those, in the gloom of defeat,
All with the battle blood gory,
In the dusk of eternity meet;
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the laurel, the Blue^
Under the willow, the Gray.
From the silence of sorrowful hours,
The desolate mourners go,
Lovingly laden with flowers,
Alike for the friend and the foe:
Under the sod and the dew.
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the roses, the Blue,
Under the lilies, the Gray.
So, with an equal splendor.
The morning sun-rays fall,
With a touch impartially tender.
On the blossoms blooming for all:
Under the sod and the dew.
Waiting the judgment day;
Broidered with gold, the Blue,
Mellowed with gold, the Gray.
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m NATURE STUDY
So, when the summer calleth^
On forest and field of grain.
With an equal murmur falleth.
The cooling drip of the rain:
Under the sod and the dew.
Waiting the judgment day;
Wet with the rain, the Blue,
Wet with the rain, the Gray.
Sadly, but not with upbraiding.
The generous deed was done;
In the storm of years that are fading.
No braver battle was won:
Under the sod and the dew.
Waiting the judgment day;
Under the blossoms, the Blue,
Under the garlands, the Gray.
No more shall the war cry sever.
Or the winding rivers be red;
They banish our anger forever,
When they laurel the graves of our deadi
Under the sod and the dew.
Waiting the judgment day;
Love and tears for the Blue,
Tears and love for the Gray.
-— FRANaS MiLSS FUfCH.
Children memorize :
BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is tramping out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps:
I have read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.
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LITERATURE 828
I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel;
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel;
Since God is marching on."
He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before hfs judgment seat;
Oh, be swift, my soul^ to answer him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea.
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.
— JuuA Ward Hows.
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers
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CHAPTER VI
PICTURE STUDY
Picture study is a very essential part of a school course and,
while it is not expected that all the school children of to-day
will become artists, all, or at least the majority, should be
taught to appreciate and enjoy what is best in the works of
the great masters.
Literature, history, geography, and nature study, all afford
opportunities for illustrative drawing to be done by the chil-
dren. As an aid to such work it would be well to stock a port-
folio with drawings and pictures appropriate to the season of
the year. It must be remembered, however, that a description
of an object by means of a drawing is not the highest use of
art any more than a mere word description of an object is the
highest use of language. The children should be given abun-
dant opportunity for original expression, and at the same time
they should be helped to form right ideals of true art. Intelli-
gent picture study in our schools will help to bring the child
into communion with master minds, and it will also help to
develop his creative powers.
"The Riverside Art Series" by Estelle Hurll, "Christian Art" by
Eliza Allen Starr, "How to Enjoy Pictures" by M. S. Emery, "The
Christ-Child in Art" by John Van Dyke, and "Legends of the Ma-
donna" by Mrs. Jameson will give the teacher larger conceptions of
the possibilities of art and enable her to lead her pupils to look for
correct art principles exemplified in the works of the great
artists. "Great Artists" by Henry Turner Bailey describes
the lives of sixteen of the most noted artists. As these little
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UTERATURE 826
books are but ten cents each, every teacher should own them.
A keen sense of beauty can be acquired in childhood by
familiarity with beautiful things. The child drinks in his sur-
roundings and is formed by them unconsciously, and he should
be given an opportunity to see and to enjoy good copies of
some of the great pictures of the world. The choice is in-
finite, but only the appropriate, the purposeful, should be
chosen.
Art-culture and soul-culture should be the first considera-
tion. If we wish children to think beautiful thoughts we must
place before them only what is noble, lovely, and inspiring.
Little children, it is true, are easily pleased with bright
colors and showy objects; the aim, however, is not simply to
please, but to educate. The children will not be likely to
understand the masterpieces, it is true; their educative influ-
ence nevertheless is far greater than . pictures that can be
understood at a glance.
Anna Bracket says: "It makes no difference to you or to
the rest of the world what you may think of any g^eat work
of art. This is not the question ; the point is how it affects you.
The picture is the judge of your capacity, not you of its excel-
lence. The world has long ago perhaps passed judgment upon
it and now it is for the work to estimate you. If, without
knowing that a certain picture is from the hands of a great
master, you find yourself wonderfully attracted by it you
may be glad that its verdict upon you is favorable."
A picture must be studied and interpreted before it will yield
its fullest, deepest meaning. "Though we travel the world over
to find the beautiful we must carry it with us or we find it not."
The following list of pictures is recommended by Miss Hen-
rietta Thornton, professor of art in the Iowa State Normal
School. The teachers of Iowa will be grateful for Miss Thorn-
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826 PICTURE STUDY
ton's suggestions on any subject pertaining to art, especially
all those who have had the advantages of her instruction :
GRADE I.
"A Piper and a Pair of Nut Crackers" Landseer
"Highland Dogs" Landseer
"Madonna of the Chair" Raphael
"Baby Stuart" ...Van Dyck
"Feeding the Nestlings" Millet
"The Cherubs" (a fragment from Raphael's Sistine Madonna.)
"St Anthony of Padua and the Christ-Child" Murillo
"Christ blessing Little Children" Plockhorst
"Can't You Talkr Holmes
"Age of Innocence" Reynolds
In each of these four lower grades I would suggest at least one bas-
relief form from —
"The Singing Gallery of the Cathedral" Lucca della Robbia
"Four Little Scamps are We" J. Adam
"The Little Brother" Meyer Von Bremen
"Learning the A B C" De Freger
"Friend Fox" E. Long
GRADE IL
"A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society" Landseer
"The Prize Calf" Landseer
"The Ornithologist" ...Millais
"Baby's First Step" MUlet
"Angels' Heads" Reynolds
"Kittens" Adams
"Arrival of the Shepherds" LcroUe
"A Modem Madonna" De Freger
"In the Country" Lerolle
"Sistine Madonna" Raphael
"The Divine Shepherd" Murillo
"Song of the Lark" Breton
"Grandpa's Pet" Artz
"See What Mother Has Brought Home" Meyer Von Bremen
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LITERATURE 8«
GRADE III.
"The Three Children of Charles I" .....Van Dyck
'The Sheep Pasture" 1 Jacque
"Feeding the Chickens" Millet
"The Dance of Apollo and the Muses" Romano
"Madonna Granducca" Raphael
"John" Andrea del Sarto
"Pharoah's Horses" \ Herring
"Denizens of the Highland" Bonheur
"My Dog" Landseer
"ChUdren of the Shell" Murillo
"The Melon Eaters" Murillo
"Christmas Presents" De Freger
"The Pet Bird" Meyer Von Bremen
"Mother and Daughter" ..Le Brun
"Wide Awake" J. Adam
"The Humble Servant" Rosa Bonheur
•The Elder Sister" Bougereau
GRADE IV.
"Dignity and Impudence" Landseer
"The Return to the Farm" Troyon
"Aurora" .......Guido Reni
"The Holy Night" .....Correggio
"TheLight of the World".., Holman Hunt
"The Broken Pitcher" W. Greuze
"Going to Work" MiUet
"Suspense" Landseer
"The Wolfhound" Paul Potter
"By the Riverside" Lerolle
"Ploughing" Bonheur
"Martha and George Washington" Stuart
"The Dance of Nymphs." Evening Corot
"In The Wood" Elizabeth Gardner
"My Dog" Landseer
"Toll Paid Here" Meyer Von Bremen
"Who'll Buy a Rabbit" Meyer Von Bremen
"Night and Morning" Thorwaldsen
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328 PICTURE STUDY
WORLD PICTURES
Many of the best artist critics of the world agree in naming
a few out of the thousands and thousands of pictures as the master-
pieces in art. This group is generally known by the title "The
Twelve Great Pictures of the World."
These are Raphael's "Sistine Madonna", and "Transfiguration" ;
Michael Angelo's "Last Judgment" ; Domenichino's "Last Com-
munion of St. Jerome"; Volterra's "Descent from the Cross";
Leonardo's da Vinci's "Last Supper"; Titian's "Assumption of
the Virgin"; Correggio's "Nativity", or "Holy Night"; Guido's
"Aurora" ; Guido's supposed "Portrait of Beatrice Cenci" ; Muril-
lo's "Immaculate Conception", and Ruben's "Descent from the
Cross."
The Sistine Madonna has a room entirely to itself in the
Dresden gallery. Viardot says : "This picture is like a revelation
of heaven to earth; it is an appearance of the virgin. This
word explains the whole rendering of the picture: the green
curtains drawn aside in the upper part, the balustrade at the
bottom, on which the two little angels lean, who seem by their
upturned glance to point to the celestial vision. What noble
attitudes, in what wonderfully graceful positions are the Virgin
and Child in her arms, and also the two saints in adoration I What
could be more thoughtful, pious and holy, than the venerable
head of St. Sixtus ? What could be more noble, more tender, and
more graceful, than the holy martyr Barbara? What could be
more astonishing, more superhiunan, than the Child with the
meditative forehead, with the serious mouth, and the fixed and
penetrating eyes, allowing us to forebode his sublime mission —
Redeemer of the world?
And is not Mary really a radiant and celestial being? Is she
not an apparition ? The irresistible power of moral beauty, which
beams in the face of the Virgin mother, her deep glance, her look
at once grave, modest, and sweet; that indefinable look which
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Madonna di San Si«;to, or Sistine Madonna — By Raphael
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LITERATURE 329
marks the woman brought up far from the world, out of the
world, and having never known its pomps or deceitful gaities."
The Aurora was painted by Guido Reni on the ceiling of the
casino belonging to the Rospigliosi Palace, Rome. In Charlotte
Eaton's "Rome in the Nineteenth Century" it is vividly described :
"It is embodied poetry. The Hours, that hand-in-hand encircle
the car of Phoebus, advance with rapid pace ; Aurora sails on the
golden clouds shedding showers of roses on the rejoicing earth.
Above the heads of the heavenly coursers hovers the morning
star, in the form of a youthful cherub bearing his flaming torch.
Nothing is more admirable in this beautiful composition than the
motion given to the whole. The smooth and rapid step of the
circling Hours as they tread on the fleecy clouds ; the fiery steeds ;
the whirling wheels of the car; the torch of Lucifer, blown back
by the velocity of his advance; and the form of Aurora borne
through the ambient air till you almost fear she should float from
your sight — ^all realize the illusion. You seem admitted into the
world of fancy and revel in its brightest creations." * * *
The teacher should study the masterpieces in literature and
art in order to lead the children to question the poem and the
picture again and again for the deeper meaning contained therein.
The following topics are suggested by Dr. Haney for "Picture
study": What is the object of picture making? What thought
did the artist aim to present — ^the soul of the picture? What is
the main point of interest? What is the facial expression of the
living forms in the picture? How far is the scene real, — how
far has it been idealized ? What of the past or the future is sug-
gested in the picture? Has the picture any reminder of personal
experience? Has the artist made the meaning plain? What
havie you to bring to the picture from your own feelings and
emotions, from your own knowledge of what others have said or
written or painted or sung? * * *
Study "The Sower** by Millet.
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830 PICTURE STUDY
Discuss the preparation of the soil for grain, the importance of
the seed, the conditions favorable for growth and similar topics,
to lead children to realize something of the dignity and the im-
portance of the sower and his work.
In "The Song of the Sower" Bryant says :
Fling wide the generous grain; we fling
O'er tbe dark mould the green of spring,
For thick tlrie emerald blades shall grow.
When first the March winds melt the snow.
And to the sleeping flowers, below.
The early blue birds sing.
By questioning, lead children to appreciate the strength, con-
fidence, and dignity revealed in the sower's attitude. The easy,
matter-of-fact way in which he strides along makes us feel that
his vigorous frame would not tire easily.
Millet knew nature's ways by heart and loved to paint the
peasants plowing, sowing, and gleaning.
Help the children to discover Millet's message in this picture —
noble labor.
"The Angelus" also dignifies labor.
Lord Houghton writes :
"Against the sunset glow they stand.
Two humblest toilers of the land,
Rugged of speech and rough of hand,
Bowed down by tillage;
* * O lowly pair! you dream it not
Yet on your hard unlovely lot
That evening gleam of light has shot
A glorious passage;
For prophets oft have yearned and kings
Have yearned in vain to know the things
Which to your simple spirits brings
That curfew message
* * * "enough for us
The two lone figures bending thus.
For whom that far off Angelus
Speaks Hope and Heaven."
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UTERATURE 331
When Millet first showed the picture, M. Sensier cried, "It is
the Angelus!" "It is indeed," Millet answered; "you hear the
bells."
An atmosphere of peace and prayer pervades the picture — he
makes you see the sunset glow and hear the bells call to prayer.
THE BEAUTIFUL BELLS OF THE WORLD
The beautiful bells of the world.
The working bells!
Their music that's swelling and swelling,
A story tells
Of love alike for the strong and faint;
Of tender love for the sinner and saint;
Of prayerful love for the great and lowly;
Of a love divine, love deep and holy, .
The working bells!
At morrow they call us to prayer
With music sweet;
In the busy hours of the day
The call repeat.
When the shadows fall and the day is done.
They sing adieu to the setting sun.
And tenderly greet the approach of light
With music sweet
With zones of sound they girdle the earth
Angelus bells!
Oh the thoughts they bring as they ring and ring
The love that wells
In our hearts and souls when we hear their notes.
And catch the music that floats and floats
I Over the world to the heavens above.
Telling low and clear of a Savior's love
Angelus bells!
—Mrs. B. Ellbn Buskx.
If the guardians of children could but realize the significance of
I first impressions — realize that all the important affairs of life
^ have their beginnings in unobserved utterances, which later form
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332 PICTURE STUDY
the basis of character, there would be less misery and unhappin
traceable to the perverted management of the young.
Wm. T. Harris declares that the humblest child — ^nay the rm
depraved child has within him the possibilities of the higlit
angelic being.
"Why is this glorious creature to be found
One only in ten thousand?
What one is
Why may not millions be?
What bars are thrown by nature in the way of such a hope?"
THE CHILDREN.
Ragged and dirty and saucy may be.
Born in a* hovel or born over sea,
Robed in rich satin, or shabbily dressed.
Treasures of love dwell in each little breast.
Waiting to open: Seek, teacher, the key.
Feet that shall soon lead, to-day may be led,
Hands that shall govern are governed instead;
Minds whose ripe powers the nation shall sway.
Plastic, are taking your impress to-day;
Train them aright — ^they will rule when you're dead.
— E. C. Hewett.
In order to train them aright the teacher needs all the great
inspirational influences. Let the children contemplate day by
day the best of the best in literature and art and the true, the beau-
tiful, and the good will elevate and ennoble their lives and serve
as a strong and lasting foundation upon which to build ideal
character.
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